"Sole" Mates for Sustainability: How Disobedience is Revolutionizing Footwear

Why do "Shoes" remain timeless in Fashion?

There's one thing that follows the beauty of shoes, which appeals to most fashion lovers. Compared to apparel designs, quality shoes and accessories would outlive the wearer. Because the specifics of the human body have varied greatly through the ages, our feet rarely ever seem to grow up. From the iconic Manolo Blahniks and Louboutins to the best indigenously made sneakers, or even some nicely crafted Kolhapuris, they are pieces that one hardly outgrows.

Spotlight on Disobedience: Sustainable fashion from Chennai

When well-made and fashionable shoes are discussed, Chennai-based exquisitely created Disobedience is a really independent choice as far as making individualistic footwear undertaking with environmental conscientiousness. A luxury eco-conscious footwear brand started by Anita Soundar, a former chemical engineer turned footwear designer, straddles the boundary between style and sustainability.

From Chemical Engineering to sustainable fashion

Anita left the realm of chemical engineering and industrial entrepreneurship because she wanted to pursue her passion for self-expression and environmental consciousness through footwear design. Thanks to her 2003 master's degree in environmental management, she studied life cycle assessments and sustainable practices long before they were fashionable. This set her in good stead, along with her on-the-ground experience, to provide a unique view into blending traditional craft with present-day eco-friendly innovations."I'm just saying: I did my master's well back in 2003, where we studied life cycle and impact assessment of a product, environmental sustainability, and preventing pollution before it occurs. Nowadays, all these things have become very relevant, and those are sort of the principles I apply when choosing materials for our shoes. We even want to buy back and recycle our shoes!" Anita says. Disobedience is all about sustainability and a platform for personal self-expression.

Stepping into Disobedience

Disobedience has built its entire concept on the unwavering determination to improve the footwear industry's conventions by way of sustainable materials. They move away from leathers and plastics and remain committed to pioneering the use of plant-based leather, natural fibres, and upcycled materials. Plant-based leather derives from mango and hemp, offering durability and instant comfort, all the while imbued with a smaller carbon footprint. Natural fibre keeps the every pair light yet biodegradable. Considerable care is catered for to repurpose the plastic handloom textile and post-consumer denim in the making of each piece of wearable art. The thoughtful selection of these materials is not an end-aesthetic; the materials represent the brand's dedication to conscious consumption and environmentally responsible production. Emphasizing sustainability, these are shoes made from home-grown brand Disobedience.

Knowing fully well the wonderful mischiefs of the climate Indian, the brand boasts footwear that is functional while still very relatable to beat any temperature or weather. Using 100 per cent vegan fabrics, a footwear line has been produced that allows your feet to breathe under all Indian climate conditions. Bamboo is one of the many plants embraced in making this collection. It has high-end aesthetics, like sun-dried, hand-spun fibers, and it is also made of 100 per cent biodegradable and recyclable materials, which made them the most coveted winners-The Global Footwear Award 2023. In an effort to reduce the usage of plastics, these heels were made of natural teak wood.

Sustainable Luxury:Challenges and Triumphs

Though not intended to blame anyone, Anita speaks of challenges in developing sustainable luxury. From sourcing fundings for the research and development phase of the project, training artisans, and working with unconventional materials have all been a challenge. "In four years, we have made 400-500 shoes. Funding has been a major challenge, because it translates to affording expensive materials for R&D. Training our technicians -who have always worked with leather- to switch to handwoven cotton, plant leather, cellulose sheets, even upcycled plastics has been very challenging. R&D requires a lot of materials and man-hours without knowing if these products will even have a market."

Disobedience, of course, believes in innovation against all odds. After all, it is not just a footwear brand, but a movement for self-identification by those wearing it. Each design becomes a side on which to write a "canvas for self-expression," as Anita puts it, "a declaration striding boldly, breaking free from the chains of fashion conformity."