Natural World
The Natural World brand from the Spanish region of La Rioja was founded in 2011 with the aim of producing shoes under socially acceptable and sustainable aspects. The shoes are therefore made in Spain and the GOTS-certified cotton for the upper material and the natural rubber for the soles are also obtained in Spain. The shoes are therefore vegan and have been certified as Fairtrade by Green Trade World. The brand has also been active in Germany since 2014, and its sailing shoes and slippers are particularly characteristic. These are available in many colors and have a washed-out look that is created by a washing process with enzymes. The classics are particularly popular with men. Women are increasingly turning to the sneaker types with a toe cap, according to the company. The ratio of women’s and men’s shoes is 70:30. There is also a collection of children’s shoes. The brand wants to convince customers with a price point of 60 to 70 euros. Carsten Busche from the agency Busche, which is responsible for German sales, explains: “Sustainability is affordable at Natural World because the family business has been making shoes with the same machines for years and our model policy is not expansive. Our production process is designed to recycle the materials for production and the water for washing, and to reuse surplus materials.” Customers would currently only buy sustainable shoes if they were not more expensive, according to Busche’s experience: “I think that the prices of other sneaker brands in retail have been a little over-charged. Sustainable shoes made from pineapples or apples for 120 to 180 euros are understandable if you know the production processes for the materials. But the end consumer makes his sustainable decision for himself at the checkout.” The aim is to win over retailers with the calculation of 3.0. At present, the company is mainly serving individual shoe shops, fashion houses that position the brand as a price base, shops with a sustainability concept and online retailers.
Natural World stands primarily for sailing shoes and slippers. (Photo: Editor)
The sneaker types with a toe cap are particularly popular with women. (Photo: Natural World)