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Vans and Sustainability

I do not like high heels, I never have. I think I have owned probably 5 pairs in my entire life and those were bought for weddings or similar such events. I didn’t even wear heels to my own wedding. I do however, love sneakers! I will find a way to get sneakers to match with any outfit! I will and have spent good money on sneakers! I have a few brands I love, Vans is one of them. I had a pair of white Vans for years; they were the comfiest shoes I have ever worn. I am all about comfort when it comes to the clothes, and shoes, I wear and the right sneakers are so comfortable and they go with pretty much anything.

 

The bonus for me is that Vans have had a sustainability plan since before it was trendy to do so. They started their sustainability efforts back in 2012. More than 50% of the waste at their production plant in California is recycled which obviously reduces the amount of waste that goes to landfill which is always the goal!

The Vans Distribution centre is in the top 25% 25% of distribution centres worldwide for energy efficiency as rated by the Energy Star rating system. Their facility in Sante Fe become a zero waste to landfill facility in 2013! They have managed to accomplish this by doing the following,

 

  • They have clearly designed waste stations through their office buildings so that everyone knows what to throw in what bins. I love this, they are dedicated to an overall reduction in waste, not just in the production process.
  • Employees at their head office receive reusable coffee mugs and water bottles. There are filtered water stations in the offices, eliminating the need for single use plastic water bottles and coffee mugs.
  • Break rooms have reusable silverware, saving 3000 plastic utensils each month!
  • They recycle around 11000 pounds of cardboard each day! This saves a significant amount of energy.
  • Their box reuse project means they reuse as many inbound shopping boxes as possible, saving them around 120 000 pound of cardboard annually.
  • All proceeds of their recycled cans are donated to local charities.
  • A monthly operational sustainability scorecard is published to everyone – leading to accountability and transparency.

Their sustainability efforts extend to their 300 retail stores in North America.

  • All of their retail stores are built with FSC certified wood fixtures and low-VOC paint.
  • They install energy efficient LED track lighting which uses less energy.
  • Reusable shopping bags have been sold in Vans stores since 2013 with the proceeds going to skate foundation and Surfer’s Healing.

These efforts are not limited to how the product is made but are a part of the company culture and introduced to every part of the organisation. They even have electrical charging stations they are available for free to all Vans employees, which shows a companywide commitment to sustainable living.

If you needed a reason to buy Vans then all of the above are it AND they have some amazing looking sneakers!

These are just a few of my current favourites.

I love the colours on these ones.

And these ones go with everything! These are like the little black dress of shoes!

For a little bit of colour and fun – these are perfect.

 

We cannot forget the simple Van – ideally I would like one in every colour!

If you are a fellow sneaker lover, you have to have at least one pair of Vans in your collection! But you should have a lot more!

Vans and Sustainability | Living Life with HarassedMom

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9 Responses

  1. These shoes are really amazing, the styles are really unique and they are so pretty. I love Vans always!

  2. I’ve always been a vans girl! Love their sustainability line…so cute and fashionable too. These are perfect everyday shoes!

  3. I love vans…I used to wear them allllll the time lol…It is good that they’re serious about sustainability.

  4. I am the same, I don’t like heels and it doesn’t help I can’t/don’t know how to walk in them properly. I much prefer to been in my vans!

  5. It’s fantastic to see a focus on waste-free living and the efforts being made to promote sustainability in the automotive industry. The information you provide about eco-friendly features and initiatives by van manufacturers is both informative and inspiring.

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