THERE ARE NO GREEN SHOES.

There are no green shoes – but there is a good alternative to fast fashion shoes from Gothenburg, Sweden.

Sweden does not have a huge textile industry, but in production countries like Vietnam, keeping up with the demand caused by overconsumption causes significant emissions.

So, what can be done? After all, we need shoes and clothes.

Consuming less and prioritizing better-constructed products is one solution. Another important thing to consider is whether you need something new at all. Before buying something new, check what you have in your wardrobe. But then what? Suppose you absolutely need new shoes. All production harms the planet, so how do you choose a pair that does as little harm as possible?

At Icebug, we know that it is possible to produce shoes while minimizing the harm done to the environment.

We use techniques that minimize chemical usage, buy sustainably grown natural rubber that does not lead to rainforests being cut down, and contribute to good working conditions in the factories where our shoes are made. In addition, we help factories switch to solar energy. And above all, we make durable shoes that you can use for a long time.

During 2023, we are working hard to help the factories we work with switch to renewable energy. If everything goes as planned, we will save 5,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually. That is more than our yearly emissions! Many of our shoes are made in Vietnam, a country with lots of sunlight, but little solar power used in its factories. Energy from fossil fuels is primarily used to run Vietnam’s many factories. These factories make shoes and clothes that are used around the world, so reducing their footprint would be a major win for lowering emissions!

To work towards this goal, Icebug has invited other brands – big and small – to become part of our solar project free of charge. We're a small brand, but if just one of the giants in the industry joined us, we could make a huge difference.

At home, we continue to work to save Swedish old-growth forests. At the time of writing, we have earmarked 1.5 million SEK for donations to this cause in 2022/23.

Buy less, but better.

We do NOT fly shoes home from the factory. Air freight produces 20 times as many emissions as shipping by boat – yet it is widely used in our industry.

Making the average Icebug shoe produces 11 kilos of carbon dioxide. Before 2030, we will reduce this to 6.4 kilos through continued improvements to our production process to align with the global targets for decreasing emissions. But we won't stop there - we will continue to reduce our climate footprint as much as possible.

Do you know the average emissions per product or the total emissions produced by your favorite brand? Probably not. We are almost entirely alone in sharing this information for our entire collection. Some brands use language implying “sustainability” or being “eco-friendly,” but these claims aren’t supported. They may make one-off concept models with footprints much lower than the rest of their offerings and call it a day. This is not the same as prioritizing the environment in business practices! At Icebug, we focus on shrinking emissions from our ENTIRE production. It’s a strong starting point, but think of the impact this could have if everyone did it.

We have no growth targets. Our directives clearly state that we must put people and the planet before profit. This is why we can act differently than most other shoe and apparel brands.

It's time to stop talking about sustainability and start doing something!

As a consumer, you can ask tough questions - and do your best to support companies that aren’t all talk. Buy less, but better. Demand to know how things were produced.

We have decided to halve our footprint by 2030 – and influence our industry to do the same. Join us on the road!

We're not perfect – but we do good stuff

No company can ever claim to be perfect in its sustainability practices, but we do our best. Below, you’ll find our promises to you, where you can read about our commitments and learn more about what we stand for.