Veldskoen launched the new Ranger Boot that leaves a positive impact in more ways than one. Called the Ranger Social Impact Boots, the shoes have messages imprinted on their soles that leave footsteps with inspirational words such as “trust”, “pause”, “love”, “kind”, “happy”, and “breathe” for others to follow.
The boots are part of a collaborative project with actress Briana Evigan who is renowned for her performance in the Step Up series and founder of the non-profit organisation MoveMe. This studio uses storytelling to drive positive action for people and planet. Briana’s mission echoes Veldskoen’s approach to creating shoes rooted in purpose and action.
Veldskoen has been working to improve their sustainability efforts by reducing waste and offsetting carbon emissions. Embracing imperfections that come with natural materials, they use leather that would have otherwise been discarded and have reduced leather waste by 22% in their sneaker range. All of the shoes are produced locally at a factory in Durban, to support local industries and to reduce carbon emissions from international shipping.
The Ranger Boots are made from sustainably-sourced leather that offers the durability and strength rangers need in the veld. This focus on durability allows the boots to stand the test of time even in harsh veld conditions. “Sustainability has to occur at all stages in the supply chain,” says Nick Dreyer, co-founder of Veldskoen. Ensuring that staff are treated with dignity and compensated fairly is an essential element of Veldskoen’s sustainability strategy.
“We believe that community is at the heart of true sustainability in an African context,” says Nick. Especially in South Africa where employment is central to poverty alleviation, job creation goes hand-in-hand with any form of social upliftment. The ambition to create positive change is what led to the collaboration between Veldskoen and Briana.
While working on a narrative feature film about poaching in Africa, Briana was inspired to create MoveMe Studio along with her business partner, Stuart Newton. Having her own studio, means Briana can express herself creatively in a way that is meaningful and impactful. “Telling stories that matter and playing roles that matter and challenge me is so important,” Briana says.
MoveMe Studio is currently producing a docuseries and feature film that explores South African wildlife. Along with the studio, Briana is investing in the communities and people whose stories she tells. This led to the creation of Abundant Village which is a shared services model focused on food, water, and energy security, education, wellness care, and job opportunities. The initiative aims to be an economic engine for a community to increase health, wellness, and prosperity. To achieve this, MoveMe has created income-generating business models that ensure Abundant Villages are run sustainably, both financially and environmentally.
They’re currently working through their pilot ‘village’ in a small community in Mpumalanga. The work seeks to build a nest of resources, catering to the needs of the people in that area, to support the growth of these communities. Briana hopes that once the pilot village proves successful, this model can be replicated in different areas around the globe.
- The Ranger Boot is now available for pre-order and will be ready for online purchases from the 1st of August.
- 50% of the profits from the boots go towards Briana’s non-profit, MoveMe.
- Images supplied by Veldskoen
