olsen Haus : : Pure Vegan

E C O G R E E N : Olsenhaus believes in accountability. The livestock/leather industry is the largest contributor to global warming, land devastation, environmental pollution, usage of valuable natural resources and water supply contamination. The leather industry is more harmful to the environment than the textiles, medicine, fertilizer, and paper industries. It is a 1.5 billion dollar industry that directly relates to abuse and death of 100 million animals from factory farms and slaughter houses. From start to finish, the amount of energy required to create a leather hide is 20 times greater than the production of a synthetic material. The production of leather requires the transportation of feed to animals, removal of waste, electricity in housing facilities, electricity for operations and killing, pesticide use, vaccine and antibiotic use, transportation to remove carcasses and transportation of pelts. Then transportation of the hide to a tannery which involves sorting, soaking, fleshing, tanning, wringing, drying, kicking, cleaning, trimming, buffing, drying and finishing. Lastly the hide is transported to the garment maker, then a to wholesaler, and so on. In addition, hundreds of thousands of acres of land are cleared for the raising of livestock. It is common sense. Leather is the hide of a dead animal and intended by nature to decompose. To prevent biodegrading hides for commercial use are treated with toxic chemicals, just some of which are hexavalent chromium salts, aniline, azo dyes, lead, cyanide, formaldehyde, tannins, solvents, and chlorophenols. These chemicals pollute the land, air and water supply. Groundwater samples collected near tanneries have indicated the presence of arsenic, chromium, lead, zinc, and total organic halides. Additional pollutants include protein, hair, salt, lime, sludge, sulfides and acids. Vegetable-tanned leather is often touted as being less harmful to the environment. However, Bill Bartholomew, a representative for The Leather Group at The World Shoes Accessories eco-Ethics Conference, admitted that “Eco-friendly" vegetable tanning is actually just as polluting as chrome tint. Olsenhaus is vegan owned and operated. Every person eating a vegan diet saves at least an acre of trees every year. M A T E R I A L S : Olsenhaus uses alternative, sustainable and renewable plant-based and man-made, non-animal materials such as: ultra suede, organic cotton, canvas, nylon, velvet, linen, cork, and a synthetic eco-lining. We are 100% vegan: no leather, fur, wool or silk is ever used. Soles are a composite of rubber, glues are rubber-based and vegan, paint is vegan and non-toxic. Nothing is tested on animals. Olsenhaus continually searches for more innovative techniques and encourages our factories and suppliers to use safer processes. Synthetic and plant based materials account for far less pollution, and use only a fraction of the energy when compared to any leather. Most synthetics available today are flexible, breathable, and biodegradable. In addition, alternative materials are consistent in size, shape and thickness and therefore the entire piece is used, unlike a leather, which creates an enormous amount of waste. M A N U F A C T U R I N G : Olsenhaus products are manufactured as local as possible. We condense shipments into as few packages as possible to reduce our carbon footprint. In the office we use recycled papers and do as much electronically as possible. Our shoe boxes are made from recycled materials and our look books are digitally printed on recycled paper. Olsenhaus works only with people and factories with high standards of quality, reliability and accountability. Factories are personally checked for fair trade practices, fair wages, proper facilities, ventilation, clean and comfortable working conditions, safe machinery, superior organization, it is ensured that employees are respected for their skills, there are no child –labor practices, no outsourcing to other factories or countries. We produce as local as possible in Central America. P H I L A N T R O P H Y : Olsenhaus believes it is very important to give back and support organizations doing investigative and educational work towards increasing public awareness in animals rights and the environment through campaign programs, legislation, activism, and educational publications. The following are organizations Olsenhaus works with participating in events, donates to, and/or is a corporate member of. We fully support all of their missions and work in the world.

		PETA – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), with more than 2.0 million members and supporters, is the largest animal rights organization in the world. PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: on factory farms, in laboratories, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment industry. PETA works through public education, cruelty investigations, research, animal rescue, legislation, special events, celebrity involvement, and protest campaigns.

		Farm Sanctuary – Farm Sanctuary works to end cruelty to farm animals and promotes compassionate living through rescue, education and advocacy. We envision a world where the violence that animal agriculture inflicts upon people, animals and the environment has ended, and where instead we exercise values of compassion.

		Greenpeace – Greenpeace's committed activists and supporters have come together to ban commercial whaling, convince the world’s leaders to stop nuclear testing, protect Antarctica, and so much more. Their fight to save the planet has grown more serious – the threat of global warming, destruction of ancient forests, deterioration of our oceans, and the threat of a nuclear disaster loom large.

		The Theophisical Society – Encourages open-minded inquiry into world religions, philosophy, science, and the arts in order to understand the wisdom of the ages, respect the unity of all life, and help people explore spiritual self-transformation.

		The Humane Society of the United States – The mission of The HSUS is to create a humane and sustainable world for all animals—a world that will also benefit people. We seek to forge a lasting and comprehensive change in human consciousness of and behavior toward all animals in order to prevent animal cruelty, exploitation, and neglect, and to protect wild habitats and the entire community of life.

		Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary – Surrounded by the Catskill Mountains in the town made famous for peace and music, Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary provides shelter to cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, sheep, and goats who have been rescued from cases of abuse, neglect and abandonment. They rescue, rehabilitate and care for farm animal refugees, and educate the public about the horrific treatment of animals who are raised in large, industrial factory farm systems.

		The Girlie Girl Army – "Your Glamazon Guide to Eco-Living"By Chloe Jo Berman

		The Discerning Brute – "Fashion Food & Etiquette for the Ethically Handsome Man" Joshua Katcher's resource for intelligent men who want to make ethical, informed decisions concerning their lifestyles.