Although we are working towards complately upcycled products, with some of our items it is not yet possible to have 100% upcycled materials. In this case, pur team chooses high-quality leather from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Argentina.
Our cushioning midsole (between the tire sole and the leather shoe bottom) is made from a high quality foam that is designed to be durable and long lasting.
At Brave Soles, we believe that the people who make our shoes are just as important as the people who buy them.
We work with local artisans across the North Coast of the Dominican Republic to supply all of our items - from the shoes we make to the bags they are delivered in. Our business relationships are built on mutual trust and transparency. Their skill is admirable and we are proud to work with men and women of such talent and ambition.
We ensure all of our employees and suppliers are employed ethically: from wages, to vacation time to health care and working conditions. We work with all of our suppliers on a weekly basis and value our open lines of communication and connection.
You deserve to pay a fair price for a fairly made product. After all, isn't this what it means to do business ethically?
Our aim has always been to price our products fairly -taking into account the incredible quality of our shoes and products and ensuring that our artisans are well compensated.
Our shoes might not be the cheapest on the market, but that is not why we are in this business. The skill required to produce what we have is a time honored and learned craft. We sleep well at night knowing that your soul can rest easy in your Brave Soles purchase and know that everyone has been treated fairly along the way :)
Bernard is originally from Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. As our "Tire Wizard" he is the magician behind the soles that are traveling all over the world with the Brave Soles' name.
Bernard comes by his craft rightly. Through years of working with his father and brothers, he has creatively been recycling tire parts for motorbikes and other useful items. He first learned how to cut soles in Haiti as a young teenager and until we met, had been searching for a way to connect with the global market. He is now proudly doing that, day after day. He is also training our up and coming tire wizards to do their craft with as much passion and skill that he pours into each pair.
Bernard is an entrepreneurial creative at heart, always surprising us with his latest invention (he actually built a car on his front porch from upcycled parts he collected!) and we are proud of his skill and passion for helping the environment.