Nicholas Kirkwood

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Sustainability Summary

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Nicholas Kirkwood Sustainability Profile

Nicholas Kirkwood is not currently tracking sustainability.

Sustainability Summary

  • This is an unclaimed profile. Nicholas Kirkwood has not joined Sustainability Tracker to verify their sustainability credentials. We gathered what we could from public sources.
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Nicholas Kirkwood is a footwear designer known for sculpted, architectural shoes and for exploring new materials and production methods. Recent sustainability-related content shows a shift toward a more circular and lower-impact footwear model, including work on next-generation materials, material transparency, and a vertically integrated manufacturing approach. Kirkwood has said he wants to avoid greenwashing and to communicate environmental impact honestly. He has also described plans for a new footwear venture built around locally sourced materials, simplified supply chains, and end-of-use considerations for the product.

Nicholas Kirkwood Sustainability Actions

Explored lower-impact materials

Six years ago, Kirkwood became excited by the innovation in materials — from recycled leather soles and plastic heels to plant-based leathers. But once he went deeper, he discovered that “basically all” of the claims were misleading. “Recycled heels were only 30% [reused plastic] but still labeled as recycled. Plant-based leathers were essentially a dried mush of some fruit or cellulose waste, and then coated in virgin polyurethane to give the strength and appearance of leather,” he recalled.

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Reduced fossil fuels in styles

In 2019, the designer decided to explore making a completely fossil-free luxury product that would be biodegradable after use. He focused on hemp, wool, metal-free and compostable leathers for uppers and linings, natural elastics, organic silks and uncoated soles. “By the end of 2020, I had eliminated about 80 to 90 percent of fossil fuels from the styles,” he said.

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Built a new factory in Margate

Kirkwood said, “There is no factory that exists that can do this,” explaining that he is building his own. If all goes to plan, the new factory is slated to open by the end of the year in Margate, U.K. He is restoring an old printing factory just outside of Margate’s old town to house the brand’s manufacturing, and will source and grow his materials locally.

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Planned local EV distribution

The hyperlocal approach also extends to the distribution of the products, which will be geared to the local Margate community as well as to nearby London. (Electric vehicles will be used to deliver the product.)

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Nicholas Kirkwood Sustainability Commitments

2024

Perfect the sneaker process

The new production process will initially be employed to produce a sneaker, which the designer hopes to beta test with a limited release, and then perfect in 2024.

2025

Reveal new company name

Kirkwood said he will reveal the name of his new company in the coming months.

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Sustainable Development Goals

Nicholas Kirkwood is committed to advancing these Global Goals to promote prosperity for people & planet.

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