The Brave GentleMan, a Brooklyn-based high fashion, eco-friendly, vegan, cruelty-free, and sustainable boutique, has recently released a line of unisex “menswear” inspired vegan shoes, along with some urban chic gender-neutral andro wear.
Their ethical, future-forward fabrics have earned them kudos as a PETA fashion award winner and make for sartorially smart, feel good style. The new line of unisex shoes focuses on classic styles that are versatile enough to be paired with traditional business attire, rugged outdoor heritage trends, and even casual weekend ensembles.
BRAVE GENTLEMAN SUPERIOR MATERIALS GLOSSARY (From their website):
Brave GentleMan’s pallete of materials is constantly in flux as we grow, as our buying-power and collaborations increase, and as we gain information about new materials that are available. Our goal is to use the highest-pefromance materials with stringent aesthetic criteria that meet a set of ethical and environmental standards. We are excited for the day that biofabricated, biosynthetic and cellular agriculture products become available to us. While those are in development, we focus on minimally impcatful, vegan, recycled, organic and high-tech sustainbale materials.
Future-Leather
Instead of animal-based leather (being the most economically important aspect of the slaughter-business as well as the single greatest cause of thr worst environmental problems), Brave GentleMan uses Italian-milled “future-leather” which is a high-tech, EU Ecolabel Certified, PU-based microfiber. PU is made in a strictly controlled and regulated chemical process, during which only a few grams per ton of chemical is ever released into the environment. The final polyurethane polymer is chemically inert, and therefore harmless. PU is also biodegradable by way of fungus found in landfill and soil.
Future-Wool
Far from sustainable, there are 1 Billion sheep on the planet, bred to accomodate demands for wool. We work with an EU Ecolabel Certified, fair-labor mill in Brazil which uses recycled-cotton/recycled-polyester blends diverted from the waste-stream, color separated for a dye-free process, mechanically broken down and respun into new yarns for many of our tweeds and twills featured in our suits and outerwear.
Our hats and other felt products are made using a USA-based mill that turns polyester from mechanically recycled soda and water bottles into felt with a wool handfeel and high-performance qualities.We look forward to the day we can incorporate synthesized keratin fibers (lab-grown wool fiber).
Future-Silk
Brave GentleMan uses a lush, GRS-certified, Turkish-milled “silk”, made from 100% post-consumer, mechanically-recycled plastic bottles for linings and pocketing in our Autumn/Winter suits and outerwear. We work with the Italian organization C.L.A.S.S. and their NewLife product range. We hope to soon incorporate innovations like Bolt Threads synthesized spider silk for linings, outers, threads, and more.
Organic Plant-Based Materials
For warmer weather garments we use a specturm of non-GMO, organic cottons and organic linens from various places like India, France and the USA. We hope to soon incorporate innovations like pineapple leather, fungus leather, and others.
Future-Ivory
Our buttons are all made from corozo (tagua nut), a sustainbaly-gathered nut that falls from the Ivory Palm. it’s called the Ivory palm due to the nuts’ ivory-like strength, tactile and aesthetic properties.
