15 Years Of Bared
12/28/2023
A note from our founder.
I can’t believe that it has been 15 years since we opened the door of our first store in Toorak Village. What a journey it has been. I set out to make comfortable and supportive shoes that looked great. I definitely didn’t nail it 15 years ago but thankfully with time and learning we have grown to make the highest quality, most comfortable and I believe the best-looking shoes on the market (I could be a tiny bit biased).
I am so proud of the amazing team that has helped us along the way. Thank you to every Bared team member who has gone above and beyond to look after our customers. Your dedication to learning and loving the product that you sell and genuinely caring that we put our customers in the right shoes is the reason that Bared thrives.
Every year has meant exciting new things for the business but now every year I am more excited than ever about the direction that we are headed. We understand that we are part of an industry that is one of the world's largest polluters. We know that we are a part of the problem and we intend on being part of the solution.
We are on a mission to find biobased materials to construct our shoes so the laziest person can dispose of their shoe and it will break down leaving no harmful chemicals in our soil. This is no easy feat and there are no guarantees that we will achieve it but we are certainly putting our money where our mouth is and working with fantastic partners to utilise the most innovative materials in the world.
Wishing everyone a fantastic 2024 I know that it is going to be a big one for Bared.
Kind Regards,
Anna Baird
A wild ride that’s far from over, we’ve wrapped up this year’s highlights.
The planet’s number one fan.
You’ll likely know by now, creating shoes that are good for you is our thing. Combine that with being Australia’s first B Corp-certified footwear label, we’ve been making moves in the sustainability space and it’s time we tell you about it.
This year, we launched Our Impact Hub. Your one-stop-shop for all our planet initiatives, we get into what game-changing materials we’re using and partnerships we’re passionate about. We’re very proud of it.
We became plant-based obsessed.
Seriously. 100% of newly manufactured shoes are fitted with B.plantfoam™, crafted from 72% plant-based materials (USDA-certified biobased).
We joined forces with Natural Fibre Welding (NFW), an organisation that manufactures sustainable materials from plants. Together, we launched our first plastic-free bio-based material range, MIRUM®.
But wait, there’s more (soon). We’ve teamed up to transform our outsoles to PLIANT™. The world’s first naturally cured, USDA-certified 100% biobased outsole, unlike other natural rubber soles, PLIANT™ can safely return to the earth at end-of-life. Watch this space.
$219,804 donated to The Hunger Project.
This year was big. The Hunger Project believes in building resilience, not reliance to create a world without hunger. Our team ventured to Malawi, Africa to celebrate the Nsondole Epicentre reaching self-reliance. We met with the community we are empowering next, Majete 7. An emotional, raw and uplifting journey, we were able to experience first-hand the impact of The Hunger Project.
We continued to support by donating $50 for every Hornbill THP sneaker sold and $2 for every sock purchase.
SINCE 2019, WE HAVE DONATED $438,609.
$17,944 donated to Children’s Ground.
We were busy. This year, we launched two sneaker collaborations with local artists to support Children’s Ground, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to empowering First Nations communities.
We kicked off with proud Barkindji artist Caitlyn Davies-Plummer and wrapped up with Goreng Goreng artist, Rachael Sarra to create two limited-edition kicks. $50 for every sneaker sold is donated to create long-term change for the next generation of children.
SINCE 2019, WE HAVE DONATED $106,954.
$50,000 donated to Greenfleet.
That’s over 2,780 carbon emissions offset through native reforestation. Huge. If you don’t know already, we work with Greenfleet to protect our climate and we’re not against getting our hands dirty.
This year, we ventured to South Gippsland to plant trees with the leading environmental organisation. We asked you to get in on the action, too. To wrap up the year, we encouraged our community to show their support and matched all donations up to $50,000.
These forests remove carbon from the atmosphere while creating a biodiverse habitat for koalas and other endangered wildlife across Australia and New Zealand.
SINCE 2020, WE HAVE DONATED $145,000.
10,560 shoes recycled with Save Our Soles.
We work with Save Our Soles to recycle your pre-loved shoes. The Melbourne-based company transforms them into rubber mats and they’re repurposed for retail flooring.
Recycle with us.
Drop off your old favourites (Bared or not!), anytime at any of our stores.
SINCE 2019, WE HAVE RECYCLED 21,200 SHOES.
We launched The Green Team.
Looking after our planet is no easy task. It certainly isn’t a one-person job. Cue, The Green Team. A group dedicated to social causes and a sustainable future. Believe us when we say, they don’t muck around. From endless bio-based material research to community events, we’ll (try to) keep it short.
• Published our first Modern Slavery Statement to improve visibility throughout our supply chains and ensure all our workers receive a living wage.
• Partnered with TerraCycle to recycle the unrecyclable. Through recycling, reusing and transforming recycled content.
• Launched our own Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) to advance reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians.
• Hosted a Sip & Swap to encourage staff to repurpose their pre-loved clothes.
We continued our Shoe Factory Waste Program (FDRA).
An ongoing course for our factory in China that focuses on reducing our environmental impact by eliminating waste in the production and manufacturing phases. We empower our factories to identify, sort and recycle waste to keep it out of landfills, the program provides our suppliers with a key tool to increase environmental sustainability at the factory level.
Walked the first standalone First Nations designer runway.
We made history at Australian Fashion Week and walked the first solo Indigenous designer runway with Ngali. To pair with their ready-to-wear pieces, Ngali collaborated with First Nations artists to transform our boots into limited-edition works of art.
Adios 2023, you’ve been real.
Marking our 15th year, it’s true what they say, you get better with age. With thousands of shoe fitting requests, endless steps taken and countless bio-based materials wear tested, we couldn’t have done it without you, yes, you.
The support we receive from our community is truly unmatched. Thanks to you, we’re able to continue to create the world’s comfiest shoes, (yep, we’re claiming it). Not to mention, our team. The people that make it all happen and manage to remember the fit of every. single. style. You should see our training guide.
Wishing you all a happy holiday season. Bring on the New Year, we can’t wait to see you there.
The Bared Team x
