Everything we do first considers how it will effect the environment

We believe there's little point in a sustainable anything, if the process of producing it requires more energy or materials than an unsustainable version. We have built our business from the ground up to be as efficient as possible in regard to environment and materials.

Our main manufacturing plant uses self sufficient solar panels to provide energy, reducing CO2 emissions and lowering environmental impact.

Our materials are between 65% and 82% bio-based (USDA Certified), compared to typical synthetic leathers which are between 95 - 99% petroleum based. This not only means we don’t use animal based products, but our approach is also significantly better for the environment.

Every year, millions of shoes are confined to landfill around the world - many that use materials that slowly decompose over a period of between 40-50 years - emitting harmful chemicals, gas into the air and soil as they do

When you have finished with your Yatays for whatever reason - if they can’t be passed on to another person, we encourage returning them to us where the rubber soles are removed and melted down to supply the next pair.

Padding throughout a shoe is what brings comfort, and all our padding comes from waste foam and bio oil. In the future, it could come from previous Yatays.

Part of our philosophy is that business can be a force for good; for people and the planet. The origin of our name is taken from a forest so we wanted to contribute in a meaningful way towards one of nature's most precious natural resources : trees.

For each pair of Yatays we sell, we pledge to plant a tree in a forest in Kenya. This off-sets the emissions we produce during manufacturing and contributes towards a cleaner environment.

Waste is unavoidable during any manufacturing process, but viewed from a different perspective, what was considered waste can be turned into something of value.

Our vegan leather off-cuts are woven together to form beautifully simple mini-bags given as a complimentary gift with all orders. Perfect for the beach or a short walk when only a few essentials are needed.

Every box our shoes are dispatched in doubles as a backgammon board, reflecting our motto A GAME WORTH PLAYING. Backgammon is one of the oldest games known to man and like all board games - is a reminder to spend time with friends and loved ones without digital distraction