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soleRebels was recently honored in France’s L’ Express newsmagazine for its sustainable brand, which continues to grow and achieve global recognition. Often characterized as the ‘Ethiopians’ answer to Nike,’ this footwear company has made substantial strides since they began in 2004 with the idea of bringing hope and sustainable prosperity to a small village in the region of Addis Ababa.
Owning the title as the world’s first Fair Trade company to produce footwear following Fair Trade principles, soleRebels does far more than provide training and employment opportunities for rural villagers of Zenbawork, Ethiopia. They have challenged the preconceptions about poverty in Ethiopia- the image of nation home to six million people requiring billions of dollars of food and aid relief each year.
Beating the ineffective model of aid dependency and replacing it with the proactive idea, soleRebels is a true example that Fair Trade works in giving economic livelihoods to marginalised communities. Founder Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu’s vision illustrates how Fair Trade contributes to sustainable development of a struggling nation.
Beth’s vision fused innovative ideas about harnessing her community’s incredible artisan skills and channelling them into a sustainable, universally used product. Ethiopia is one of the birthplaces of cotton cultivation, dating the art of spinning cotton back thousands of years. Beth’s aim was to utilize her villages talents and create something that was “authentically local but had a truly universal feel to it.” The footwear line is produced out of eco sensible materials- a combination of recycled, organic and bio-based fabrics such as hemp, jute and cotton. Recycled tire rubber is used as the soles of the shoes, completing the truly zero carbon footprint. This Fair Trade line embraces eco sensible ideas because they are an essential part of Ethiopia’s cultural fabric, a tradition in which they are passionate about preserving.
This palate of unique natural fibers has caught the eye of consumers around the globe, warranting the honor of Ethiopia’s first and only footwear export to break into the US market. The line has emerged in stores such as Whole Foods, Urban Outfitters, and Amazon.com. soleRebels fame continued to reached new heights this past January when they began distribution with Europe's leading online footwear retailer Spartoo.com. This partnership has enabled the line to be sold across all of Europe’s 27 markets, substantially increasing their sales and providing job opportunities that offer wages a full 4-5 times higher than the legal minimum wage. Their success has even lead to beginning stages of construction for a 100% renewable self generated factory to expand production.
Beth’s ambitious and innovative idea has been recognized all over the world. Last year she was invited to speak in the Clinton Global Initiative panel, marking the first time an African entrepreneur was asked to participate in the panel. Ecobold, a leading reviewer of eco-friendly products, awarded soleRebels the title of “best shoes” this past August. CNN’s African Voices program also noticed soleRebels green revolution, profiling the powerful brand a game-changing shoe company.
soleRebels has a variety of styles including flip flops with braided hemp details, casual slip ones, loafers, and converse-style trainers. The line boasts a wide collection of looks, with colors varying from neutral- toned basics to bold- hued stripes and bright rasta-colored versions.
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