Behind the scenes in Bacup...
As Partnerships Officer, I have the unique opportunity to visit many different businesses across the region to understand more closely the environmental challenges and sustainability victories local organisations are making to help nature and wildlife succeed.
My most recent visit to Bacup was no exception. Our new partners, ‘Little Green Feet’ has been created by two ambitious team members from footwear importer JBI Ltd. Debbie Sutcliffe, Designer and Claire Ireland, Divisional Sales Manager are two talented wildlife supporters that wanted to make a change in 2023.
They have launched a back-to-school shoe collection made from recycled materials. In our visit Debbie describes ‘footwear is so tricky with the many components, each one having a different material with a different purpose. In one simple shoe you have the sole, the sock, lining, laces, eyelets, and the heel.’ This makes the shoe a recycling nightmare and a sturdy shoe fit for children running around and enjoying their time at school shouldn’t be easy to break down into parts.
The team describes the certifications they needed to apply for in this range's creation. With sustainability at the core, the pair have been tasked with understanding the nature of recycled materials, and the knowledge they needed to acquire on the use of more environmentally conscious materials. I was curious to ask if this process, which seemed lengthy, more expensive, and time-consuming, had deterred them from taking an easier route at any point. The answer was a resounding and glorious ‘Not at all.’ The team described how long they had wanted to do something like this, and how passionately they felt about the project. 'We also send any unwanted samples to Upcycle Labs to be turned into various new products including Bee Bricks to support UK wildlife' Even their trial and error period has been considered, as a Partnership Officer, I was delighted.