SOLE Provides Sustainability Reports Modeled after Food Labels

Custom-moldable insole company, SOLE, launched its new sustainability reports to promote transparency and address greenwashing in the footwear and fashion industries.

With the footwear industry responsible for 700 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, and significant shifts in consumer attitudes towards sustainability, SOLE considers providing accurate, digestible information to be the next step in revolutionizing shopping behavior to benefit customers and the environment.

Taking inspiration from the nutrition facts found on food packaging, SOLE’s sustainability reports provide shoppers with a clear and concise understanding of the environmental impact of each insole, empowering individuals to make more informed purchasing decisions.

Since the early 1990s, food producers have been required by law to label all products as a primary source of information for consumers. Similarly, SOLE recognizes the importance of transparency and accountability in the sustainability journey. Its sustainability report provides a comprehensive overview of the “ingredients” going into each footbed, highlighting the percentage of recycled materials. The labels also provide a breakdown of the product’s entire carbon footprint, accounting for the energy required to produce, transport and heat mold the footbeds.

This information allows customers to understand the environmental impact of their purchase, and to make more sustainable choices confidently and easily.

The introduction of nutrition facts on food products marked a pivotal moment in improving public health at a time when vague and unsubstantiated claims of health benefits were used as a marketing tool to influence consumer behavior.

It is anticipated the adoption of environmental impact labels on products will have a similar positive impact, helping to combat the issue of greenwashing. As companies strive to stay relevant considering changing consumer behavior toward sustainability, deceptive practices or exaggerated environmental claims have become widespread.

The new labeling system is available on all SOLE coreline footbeds and will be provided for all future products.

Curious to have a peek? Check out the Sustainability Report on SOLE’s Performance Medium footbed, a carbon-negative insole made from recycled natural cork, to get a feel of what the future of sustainable business looks like.

Learn more at yoursole.com.