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MANUFACTURING & MATERIALS INNOVATION
W
e have all suddenly been
made aware of the fragility
of the earth we live upon
and the damage that has
been inflicted on it by over exploitation
by industry and farming during the last
century. While there remain some
pockets of denial regarding global
warming and climate change, the
overwhelming majority are concerned,
if not for themselves, for their children
and grandchildren. Indeed, ‘going
green’ has become a lifestyle fashion
and
wherever
fashion
goes,
manufacturers are quick to follow.
The footwear industry is witnessing
great changes in this regard with
chrome-free tannages, sustainable raw
materials and new environmentally
responsible manufacturing methods
appearing all the time. One has to
wonder, however, whether all this
would have come about without a
need to conserve dwindling oil
reserves, find an answer to the
hexavalent chrome problem or cut
down on emissions. Some within the
industry, however, saw the light many
years ago and one of these was
American company Jones & Vining.
18
WORLD FOOTWEAR | MARCH/APRIL 2012
A pioneer of recycling
Rice terraces in China; Jones &
Vining uses recycled rice husks in its
RR soling material.
PHOTO CREDIT: WILSON CHAN/SHUTTERSTOCK