Warmbat Australia To Bring First Eco-Friendly Sheepskin To Footwear Market
Dayton, OH - Australian sheepskin boots is putting its foot down. Warmbat Australia has changed its manufacturing processes and will introduce its Eco-Friendly Sheepskin to the fashion footwear market later this year, marking the first time such a product has been used in the industry. The announcement was made by Warmbat president and CEO Paul Barclay.
In a recent Gallup poll, more than 80% of Americans said they practice simple eco-conscious behaviors like recycling and reducing energy usage, while 73% bought environmentally beneficial products. But the trend is less evident in certain categories. The average American, for example, throws away 68 pounds of clothing each year, according to the Council for Textile Recycling.
"Designing great looking, high quality products for our customers is our main objective," said the Australian born Barclay, who founded one of the world's largest Australian Sheepskin online stores prior to launching Warmbat. "And a big part of that is creating products that are environmentally friendly, that give our customers peace of mind that Warmbat is doing its part. Sheepskin boots date back hundreds of years. In Australia, the great majority of sheep are raised for the wool industry or bred for lamb for the food industry. Sheepskin is an organic, natural byproduct of both of these industries, and is more environmentally friendly than synthetic alternatives."
"Sheepskin boots are extremely popular, and environmental responsibility is top of mind with most consumers," added Barclay. "We're proud to bring our customers the first eco-friendly sheepskin products that are not only trendy, fashionable and comfortable, but that meet the highest standards of environmental compatibility. And we're able to do it without raising the prices of our products."
Warmbat's Eco-Friendly Sheepskin products will be tanned with a chrome-free tanning agent that is recyclable and biodegradable, and all chemicals potentially harmful to the manufacturers or the environment will be eliminated from the process. Warmbat products already feature removable, washable and replaceable insoles, long-lasting outsoles and the patented Dri-Lex® moisture absorption system to extend the life of the boots and shoes and cut down on waste. Warmbat plans to have its new Eco-Friendly Sheepskin in many of its best-selling shearling products by July 2007.
Warmbat's 2007 collection features more than just boots, with six new ranges and 48 traditional and contemporary styles from sneakers and slippers to casuals and sandals. Warmbat features great colors, accented by Australian aboriginal artwork and embroidered with the distinctive Warmbat Australia logo. It is the only major authentically Australian sheepskin brand available in retail stores throughout the U.S. and Canada.
SOURCE: Warmbat Australia