8000 Kicks
8000Kicks is a Portuguese brand at the forefront of sustainable footwear. Since 2019, the brand has been creating versatile sneakers, both stylish and eco-friendly, made from a surprising material: hemp.
8000Kicks is one of the pioneering brands in the development of hemp, its goal is to bring this natural fiber back to the forefront, and to make hemp shoes a mainstream consumer product.
Vegan hemp sneakers, sustainable and ultra comfortable
Did you know that hemp is one of the most environmentally friendly materials?
Sustainable and biodegradable, hemp requires no fertilizer and almost no water to grow, and its cultivation restores nutrients to the soil.
Additionally, hemp's natural strength and flexibility make it an ideal material for creating vegan sneakers that can withstand daily wear and tear while maintaining their shape and comfort. The material is also known for its antibacterial properties.
8000Kicks sneakers are made from industrial hemp, which is a subspecies of the Cannabis sativa plant. In a way, hemp is marijuana's sober cousin!
The 8000Kicks brand spent months traveling the world in search of the best hemp producers to ensure a premium fabric that is strong, flexible and durable, but also splash and dust resistant.
The 8000 Kicks vegan sneakers are not only made from hemp, but they are also waterproof, lightweight and highly breathable, making them perfect for everyday wear, both for urban outings and outdoor adventures.
The brand is also committed to using recycled materials for insoles and packaging, underlining its commitment to a zero-waste process.
8000Kicks, a brand with a real ecological conscience
In addition to using natural materials, the 8000Kicks brand is proud to mention that its items have obtained serious eco-responsible labels .
“We have 5 certifications:
- CITEVE tests the quality of all our hemp fabrics.
- Eco-stylist guarantees our sustainable development practices.
- OEKO-TEX is the gold label for textile quality, guaranteeing that no toxic substances or dyes are used. It is also a minimum requirement to cooperate with 8000Kicks.
- Bloom is our partner for CO2 capture and water cleaning, a mission that we sponsor with our sales.
- PETA certifies that we are a 100% vegan brand.
In order to make this planet a better place, we have taken a 360° approach to defining our own responsibility as a company. This means empowering customers to live a more sustainable lifestyle by offering them a high-quality, eco-friendly footwear solution. It means considering our own footprint, but also that of our partners, to minimise our carbon emissions and reduce our footprint.
To reduce our impact, we are working with our industrial partners to increase reliance on renewable energy sources. So far, our Portuguese plant uses 45% to 55% and our Chinese plant 30% to 40% of clean energy sources, but we continue to seek to improve.
We invest in CO2 capture with hemp farms and tree planting. Each newly planted tree removes an average of 50 kilograms of CO2 from the atmosphere each year during its 20-50 year growth period.
Place of manufacture: transparency
At Zebra Vegan Shop, we have always favored made in Europe, we had some reservations about listing brands that manufacture in Asia because the working conditions there are often less well regulated.
But it was enough to discuss with the founders of the 8000kicks brand to be reassured:
“We are very transparent about our supply chain – transparency is one of our core values as a brand!
So, we are not lying, we manufacture in China (as well as Portugal, Czech Republic and Ukraine). Our flagship products (shoes and backpacks) are manufactured in top-notch factories in China, where our suppliers must adhere to our code of conduct which you can read here: 8000Kicks code of conduct
Here is some information about our factory in China:
- Location: Dongguan
- Average salary: $600 to $700
- Renewable energy source: 30% to 40% renewable energy
We constantly monitor our production partners to ensure the best possible quality.”
8000Kicks is therefore a brand that seduces us with its strong values, and with the innovative, sustainable and functional side of its products. In addition to offering ecological hemp sneakers , the brand also has a beautiful range of hemp backpacks and accessories.
Discover the entire 8000Kicks collection