Kathryn Wilson
There’s a certain kind of respect that designers like Kathryn Wilson deserve – not only for their well-earned reputation around design and product quality but also for transparency and openness around their brand sustainability journey.
As the Kathryn Wilson brand approaches almost two decades of growth and evolution, the diligent designer continues striving to set new standards in every aspect of her business, from fearlessly sharing her sustainability journey to constantly evaluating new ways to reduce waste and carbon emissions, streamlining recycling systems, and selecting fabrics that have minimal impact on the planet.
It’s no easy task, as footwear is one of the most complex products to make, with some styles containing more than 75 different components from upper materials and linings to buckles, laces, and insoles.
The Kathryn Wilson ‘KIND’ collection launched in 2021 and is dedicated to lower-impact materials such as certified recycled leather, fly knot uppers made from recycled plastic bottles, and outsoles containing recycled rubber.
Maintaining the same stringent quality standards while attempting to work with new materials can be quite the journey (sometimes taking years to perfect), but Kathryn has a persistent dedication to achieving maximum results across all areas of sustainability whenever possible. It’s an admirable stance, as it often comes at a cost – in terms of time, redesign requirements, and endless research.
“We’ve had many challenges on our KIND journey so far, and although we can’t do everything overnight, we are committed to creating a kinder world, where natural resources are considered, and human rights are upheld in our supply chain,” says Kathryn.
“Sustainability is a vast area, covering everything from climate change to ethical supply chains and health and wellbeing. As a small business, our leverage and influence have made it challenging for us to achieve some of our goals, but we will keep working to ensure we are making a positive impact throughout our business operations.”
The newest (and delectable) offerings from Kathryn’s KIND collection have just been unveiled and we’re definitely on board. Standouts are the cobalt blue Michaela sandals – with a flatform base made from sugar cane and bright blue uppers from Recycled PET neoprene. The PET fibre is made from recycled plastic water bottles, old fishing nets and textile waste. Other sandals in the collection are made from recycled leather.
The collection is available in-store and online now.
FashioNZ finds out more.
What continues to drive your passion around using recycled and responsible materials?
The biggest part is being committed to constant education. I’m passionate about evolving our products and processes to reduce our impact on the planet, it’s so important to always be searching for ways of doing things better.
As part of our commitment to developing a sustainability strategy for the brand in partnership with Vanessa from Go-Well consulting, we created a collection of consciously crafted footwear styles in 2021. These used lower-impact materials and methods for construction. We have expanded on this offering over the last 12 months with several new styles.
Thirty per cent of our current collections in-store and online are made from chrome-free leather, reducing the use of chemicals and water used in the tanning process, helping to improve the health and wellbeing of the workers in our leather tanneries, by not exposing them to harmful metals or toxins.
How challenging is it to find and assess the useability of recycled and responsible materials?
We have found it really challenging to source suppliers of sustainable materials and components over the last four to five years. We had assumed these specialised suppliers would have a much larger presence at trade fairs in Asia and Europe but there were a lot of companies claiming to be offering recycled materials but not certified, so we were not able to guarantee their claims.
All recycled leathers we have used must have an up-to-date GRS certification (Global Recycling Standard). Our creative director Julia Ford is currently at a trade fair in Bangkok, which is specialising in these suppliers out of Asia and Brazil. We’re super excited to be finding more traceable and chrome-free leather suppliers.
What challenges does working with recycled materials add to the design component of the process?
Recycled leather is bonded with PU so we are careful to test the leather thoroughly for comfort and performance to ensure the shoe is not compromised by not using traditional leather uppers.
What new recycled material are you most excited to work with and why?
Recycled PET neoprene textile uppers (plastic bottles) and sugarcane soles are the star materials of our new KIND launch for S22. We’re super excited about it. It’s the first time that we’ve been able to offer both an upper and sole made with considered materials.
What changes do you see ahead for the industry that you are happy to be part of?
I’m super proud of New Zealand consumers for being more and more considered with their purchasing over the years. Not just buying fewer items, but buying quality pieces that will last. It’s also amazing to see such an increase in support for local brands. By supporting our industry, it allows New Zealand designers and manufacturers to thrive.
What part of your personal Kathryn Wilson brand journey has given you the biggest sense of pride?
Seeing our team of superstar employees grow and learn as the business grows. We are so lucky to work with a team of passionate ‘shoe lovers’ that are in love with our product and our brand. I get a lot of enjoyment from being able to foster and encourage our staff to work in their dream industry and chosen career.
What are your three go-to footwear looks for Spring/Summer 22?
My number one are platform sandals (Zsa Zsa Heel) for daywear and night, then Curb chain slides (Verona Slide) for a relaxed look, and studded dress sandals (Hollywood Sandal) for a glam day wear with dresses or denim.
What part of the process from design to finished product do you enjoy most and why?
I love to see people wearing our shoes. Even after 19 years in business, it still makes me feel so happy that they love my designs as much as I do.
Images supplied