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Alden of New England

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There was once a time when buying shoes meant that an expert craftsman handmade and repaired each pair on a first name basis. In today’s global economy we often look for traits in shoes such as “Italian leather” and “handmade,” often ignoring the harm hidden in the process of mass production. With the ease of online shopping and guaranteed returns, trying to imagine just how important the shoe industry was in the early years of the United States is challenging. At Alden of New England, things have been ‘business as usual’ for nearly 170 years.

Original New England shoemaking was a trade based upon one craftsman making a single pair of shoes in a day, in a one-room cottage (ten footers). In the 1850s a series of inventions and innovations led to mechanized stitching and established operations creating a growing need for sturdy, durable footwear. The birth of the New England shoe industry followed quickly. Production over the traditional shoemaker was on the order of nearly 500 to 700 percent of what they had been previously, yet the new methods led to an extraordinary improvement in both quality and consistency, leading shoemakers to expand their breadth of style. With this innovation, companies grew while demand soared, and product made its way in every direction on the recently expanded railroad.

Consumers can now access a wealth of information and are beginning to trust their own decisions and personal taste rather than copying trends portrayed in advertising.

Today’s fashion consumption no longer calls for a handful of tastefully crafted, handmade pieces that last a lifetime. Trends come and go so quickly that there is no realistic time frame in making high-quality, handmade items that can follow current trends. Here, we can thank the Internet.

Alden-Factory-Horween-19-799x1200In The Photo: Boxes of Alden Shoes Photo Credit: Horween Leather Company

In a recent interview with EcoSalon, featured on Business for Social Responsibility, Elizabeth Kline, author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, describes the disillusionment many have been feeling towards trends. She claims that the pace of fashion has become maddening to a growing number of consumers, and that to them, the whole game of fashion feels arbitrary and pointless now. With the theme also highlighted by a recent New York Times article, Kline’s statements seem to be ringing true. In the article, trend experts and style leaders admit that trends are no longer the all-powerful guidelines they once were.

Consumers can now access a wealth of information and are beginning to trust their own decisions and personal taste rather than copying trends portrayed in advertising. It is hoped that this addiction to “fast fashion “and passing interest in trends will create a larger consumer demand for higher quality, unique pieces that require realistic production times.

Related Articles: “NOBLE DENIM: SUSTAINABLY-SOURCED AMERICAN DENIM“

“DO YOU KNOW HOW YOUR CLOTHES ARE MADE? PROJECT JUST DOES“

What was once innovative has become almost necessary, at least for the team at Alden. It is often argued that high-quality, handmade pieces (compared to mass consumption products) create a smaller carbon footprint and are overall more sustainable. Could a process that was once considered innovative, and then deemed “old fashioned” possibly be the basis for modern, sustainable innovation in fashion?

Alden once weathered the changing tides during the early to mid-20th Century. With nearly 50 years of depression, then war followed by extreme growth, attrition took hold as many manufacturers looked farther and farther away from the U.S. in search of low-cost labor and materials to meet the insatiable demand for mass-market consumer footwear.

A majority of footwear companies who remained in New England could not compete in the demanding post-war economy. Yet Alden continued to prosper by not relying on mass-market principles and instead focused on high-quality dress shoes, excelling in specialties such as orthopedic and medical footwear.

Alden-Factory-Horween-05-960x638In The Photo: Oxford shoe shells Photo Credit: Horween Leather Company

With roughly a hundred workers in Middleborough, Massachusetts, many members of the Alden team are second and third generation craftsmen. These craftsmen are experts in hand-making oxfords, bluchers, loafers, and chukka boots. Sourcing leathers from small tanneries across Europe and the U.S., such as the Horween Leather Company (the last cordovan leather supplier in the United States) has created a direct purchase line from the source to the consumer.

Alden-Factory-Horween-10-799x1200In The Photo: Craftsman sculpting a leather sole Photo Credit: Horween Leather Company

For a full mindmap behind this article with articles, videos, and documents see #AldenShoes

Alden is once again in a resurgence due to the renewed interest in traditional men’s shoes and boots. While making products at a higher price (roughly $400-$650 a pair), Alden weathered the recession of 2008 and now caters to a clientele not just interested in a high-quality product that they can return for repair, but a clientele interested in conservation and reconditioning of materials.

What we would consider today as a sustainable business concept is simply tradition.

Could a process that was once considered innovative, and then deemed “old fashioned” possibly be the concept for modern, sustainable innovation in fashion?

It is ever evident in Alden’s business style that the customer relationship is very important. From the embossed, green catalog mailed to the customer, to timely restoration and repair, Alden does business with the customer in mind. Upon receipt of the Alden catalog is a sealed, hand-signed letter from vice president, Bob Clark, outlining his relationship and commitment to Alden’s time-honored mission.

Alden-Factory-Horween-17-960x638In The Photo: Alden shoes waiting for restoration Photo Credit: Horween Leather Company

Alden is now the only original shoe and boot-maker in New England, remaining out of the hundreds who started long ago. It is still family owned and still carries forward the tradition of quality shoemaking which is exceptional in every way. As the world continues to wake up to the implications of mass-consumption, Alden will continue making some of the best shoes and boots you can buy. This 170-year-old legacy will continue, not only because of the labels it has either earned or inherited over time, but also because of its craftsmanship, sustainable practices, and customer relationship.

Recommended reading: “THE STORY BEHIND ALDEN NEW ENGLAND SHOES“

EDITOR’S NOTE: The opinions expressed here by Impakter.com columnists are their own, not those of Impakter.com.
Featured Image Credit: Horween Leather Company

 

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About the Author /

Rustbelt-born, Jason is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and the University of Vermont. He has worked for Amazon.com on content marketing and sustainability initiatives as well as working with the City of Cincinnati towards sustainability goals, in addition to his own start-up. He has also worked regionally throughout the Midwest on turning brown fields into thriving inner-city gardens. He is also a volunteer my to DSWT in Indianapolis to garner media attention for wildlife conservation efforts in Kenya.

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The food industry is coming under increasing scrutiny for its environmental impact, from greenhouse gas emissions, to excessive and detrimental land and water usage, to chemical pollution. Given the challenge of feeding a growing world population whilst simultaneously needing to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts, clearly we need to look at alternatives to “dinner as usual”. The contribution of livestock to global greenhouse emissions is estimated at between 14.5 – 18%. Fortunately, there are companies who are tackling this challenge head on and looking at how emissions from food production can be reduced. With consumer interest increasing in alternatives to meat and other protein sources, we’ve spoken to the founders of three companies. From the seemingly futuristic to the rediscovery of superfood trees, each company tackles this new drive in consumer interest in different ways.

Solar Foods, Finland

Dr Pasi Vainnika is the CEO and co-founder of Solar Foods. The slogan of the company is “Food out of thin air”. Pasi was formerly in charge of the single largest renewable energy program in Finland. However, when he found out that 20-25% of the emissions come from food, he realized that emissions from this sector needed to be addressed, as well as those in the energy sector. But with the growth in affordable and renewable energy – particularly solar energy– it led him and his team to question the possibility of producing food solely from energy, carbon dioxide, and water. It turns out, the answer is yes. Solein is a unique single cell protein. It is produced using a fully natural fermentation process like that of the production of yeast or lactic acid bacteria. The powder, which is produced from the process, is 50% protein, 5-10% fat and 20-25% carbohydrate. Most likely, the first product to reach the consumer market will be a replacement in existing plant-based foods. For example, using Solein in shakes or as an alternative to dairy in milks, yogurts, and even in breads and pasta. In the future, a lasagna could include the protein in all aspects of the recipe: the sauce, in the pasta sheets, and in the filling. Further into the future, there is also the possibility that it could be used as the basis for cultured meat production.
In the Photo: Solein Can be used in smoothies as a protein alternative. Photo Credit: Shawn Fields - Unsplash
To produce a kilo of the protein powder takes 10 liters of water in comparison to the 2500 liters of water for a kilo of soy or 15,500 liters for a kilo of beef. Electricity is the main raw material, and the plan is to source this from renewable energy sources. Additionally, Solein binds carbon dioxide rather than emitting it, easing pressure on land use. The product is currently going through regulatory checks and testing at the moment, with a plan to launch in 2021. NASA and the Soviet Union space programs had started to investigate in similar protein production for their expeditions in the past, but Solar Foods has brought it down to earth.

Higher Steaks, United Kingdom

Whilst some people are switching to plant-based diets and others have reduced their meat consumption, some others still want to keep meat in their diets but are looking for more environmentally friendly options. This is where lab-based meat comes in. Benjamina Bollag, CEO and co-founder of Higher Steaks, a UK-based company, believes that it is important to provide alternatives to meat with a lower carbon footprint, but that taste as close as possible to the real thing. She believes that the change required in human behavior to cut emissions will not happen fast enough otherwise. This approach is confirmed by research they have conducted. 52% of respondents confirmed that they would switch from conventional meat to the Higher Steaks alternative, with 21% saying they would prefer a plant-based diet. There are different ways of producing lab-based meat. The process that Higher Steaks is developing is based on pluripotent stem cells, which are taken from a small skin patch or blood sample. The meat that is grown is then shaped into products. Currently, Higher Steaks is working primarily on pork products.
In Photo: Higher Steaks will eventually release pork as its first lab-cultured meat. Photo Credit: Yvonne Lee Harijanto - Unsplash
The company has yet to conduct a lifecycle assessment of the lab-grown meat, but given the high levels of environmental impact from meat production, it should be safe to say that Higher Steaks products will be more sustainable. In addition, as Benjamina explains, other advantages include the avoidance of antibiotic use, resulting in a product which is better for the consumer as well. The level of fat can also be adjusted, depending on consumer preference. The company is working to have the first products in shops within 3-5 years.

Barukas, Brazil

Barukas proves that you don’t always to have to look to the future for more sustainable food sources. Sometimes it is about rediscovering and making available a food source which has been around for a long time to a wider audience. The baruzeiro tree, native to Brazil, has been a long-time source of nutrition for people living in the Cerrado, the vast savannah at the heart of Brazil. The tree produces a fruit, which contains the baru nut. It was the nutritional profile of the baru nut that initially attracted Seth Tuckerman, who had formerly been the COO of Beachbody, a fitness business. The nuts are high in protein, fiber, minerals, and are lower in fat than typical nuts. The taste is often described as a cross between peanuts and almonds. In fact, Tuckerman’s immediate thought on tasting them was “low calorie almonds”. Tuckerman’s passion is not only about the positive health benefits, but also about the trees and the mutual benefits for the communities where they grew.
In Photo: Baruzeiro tree. Photo Credit: Barukas
Tuckerman became a co-founder of Barukas Incorporated. They are on a mission to plant 20 million baruzeiro trees – as a start. The trees need little water and – as native trees – they are already ideally suited to the Cerrado conditions. First, Barukas must prove that there is a market for the fruit of the existing trees. As such, the company is encouraging those living in the Cerrado to collect the nuts by guaranteeing to buy them, then creating customer demand for the nuts. Collecting the fruit from existing trees helps to preserve them from being cleared for intensive and invasive agricultural methods such as soy plantations. Likewise, planting new trees helps to reverse the deforestation of Cerrado. A report by the Climate Observatory estimated that the destruction of surface vegetation in the Cerrado released 248 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2016. This is roughly two-and-half times the annual tailpipe emissions from all cars in Brazil.
In Photo: Closer look at the baruzeiro tree. Photo Credit: Barukas.
From talking with these three pioneers, it is now clearer than ever that we need multiple solutions to address how to sustainably feed a growing population. We need to cut the carbon emissions and reduce other environmental impacts such as water and land use associated with food production. Some of these solutions are a little way off in the future, but others are available now. We are what we eat, but our choices will increasingly determine what kind of future we will live in as well.   EDITOR’S NOTE: The opinions expressed here by Impakter.com columnists are their own, not those of Impakter.com.
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