In the interests of sustainable development, Chiruca, the Spanish outdoor footwear brand owned by Calzados Fal, has made some changes to the manufacturing and packaging of its boots. First, it has replaced its old alcohol-based treatment for water and oil repellence with a new water-based treatment that contains nanoparticles. These particles' smallness and high specific surface area (i.e., exceptionally high surface area for their mass) enable the treatment to protect the boots' leather without clogging its pores or impairing its breathability. Moreover, the treatment emits fewer volatile organic compounds than other processes and contains no perfluorooctanoic acid, which makes it safer for factory workers. Chiruca is also using new shoeboxes made of recycled cardboard and printed with a single ink. The old boxes used five inks and were coated to produce a sheen. Calzados Fal is listed on the Spanish government's Carbon Footprint Registry and has received the “I Calculate, Reduce and Compensate” seal. It also owns the Bosque Chiruca, a tract for tree planting that lies near the company's facilities in Spain's autonomous community of La Rioja.

Topics