Ethical Fashion Footwear from Po-Zu

It's important to me to know where my clothing comes from. I'm a big fan of vintage fashion, and what I can save on buying pre-loved means I can afford to buy good quality, ethical items for my wardrobe, without resorting to high-fashion, throw-away products produced with low quality fabrics in sweat-shops.

I was in the market for some new boots recently (ahem my calves seem to have grown somewhat post-Christmas and I can no longer get my favourite black boots over my jeans). Anyhow, I visited the amazing online store Po-zu and was spoilt for choice.

So many styles to choose from, but I plumped for a new pair of black boots, swayed by the fun addition of tweed (I'm a sucker for a British tweed).

Po-Zu Luna Black Boots

As soon as the postie delivered the box, my first thought was how incredibly light they felt.  This must be down to their innovative soles which are made from a layer of sustainable coconut husk, a by-product from the popularity of all things coconut right now.  Beneath this super-comfy 'foot mattress' is a layer of latex which means your feet are kept warm in the winter, but they're still breathable. And did I mention how comfortable they are?

As soon as I slipped them on, they felt like old favourites.  There was no breaking in to be done and the leather upper was soft and supple.  Even though they have adjustable straps, the cut-away detail on the back means they are plenty roomy enough to fit comfortably over my jeans.

Po-Zu Luna Black boots with Tweed detail

The pure wool tweed fabric makes a lovely contrast (even though it does seem to attract dog hair from my puppy who's constantly round my ankles at the moment!)

The inside of the boot has a delicious felt wool lining keeping me warm and snug on cold spring dog walks, and the heel height is just right for all day-wear without making me feel like I have completely flat shoes on.

I'm delighted with the look and feel of my new boots!

But more than that, I'm happy to know they've been designed, produced and shipped by an ethical firm. They are committed to using only the highest quality, sustainable and ethically sourced materials free of pesticides and toxic chemicals.  For those of you who are vegan, they have produced  a solvent-free micro-fibre which is totally animal-free.  All their footwear is produced in Portugal by a team of crafts-people who are paid a fair-wage and enjoy a healthy and safe working environment.

There are some exciting developments in the pipeline this year too.  Not content with using coconut fibres, they're always on the lookout for innovative new sustainable materials and will launching shoes made with Pinatex soon - a vegan-friendly leather alternative made from pineapple fibres.

Po-zu's new ballet pumps, the first on the market using pineapple vibes, coming soon!

I can't wait to see what else they have in their Spring/Summer collection.

Disclosure: I received a press discount on my boots but all thoughts and opinions are my own.