Classic Blackspot Sneaker

About Blackspot Campaign

Blackspot campaign was born almost three years ago when we decided to stop merely criticizing the status quo and actually do something about it. It was born on the back of Nike, capturing the attention of the global media as a lively attack on the brand idolatry and sweatshop production methods of that multinational. Encouragingly, over 25,000 people are now wearing Blackspot shoes. Earth-friendly, anti-sweatshop, and cruelty-free, Blackspots are the only shoes designed to give Big Business what it needs the most: a swift kick in the brand.

About The Shoes

Our two models, the classic Blackspot Sneaker and the Blackspot Boot are both designed by John Fluevog, known for his cutting edge innovativeness and flair. The shoes comply with vegan standards, and are being monitored by Robin Webb of Vegetarian Shoes in the UK. Robin is an industry leader dedicated to the production of ethical footwear. Blackspots are sold only in independently owned retail stores worldwide.

We’re using 100% organic hemp, which is processed with natural methods such as water retting, eliminating the need to use chemicals. The Blackspot Sneaker has a rubber sole and a toe cap that is 70% biodegradable, whereas The Unswoosher has a sole made from recovered car tires. We’re not currently using water-based glues, as they lack permanence so shoe longevity suffers. The white anti-logo and the red splotches are hand-painted, and the soles are stitched, glued and embedded for extra durability.

The Profits

Adbusters itself funnels any proceeds back into our non-profit campaigns, but our Blackspot indy retailers are of course free to benefit from the customary mark-up from wholesale that enables them to survive.

The Factory

All our V1 sneakers are now assembled in a factory in northern Pakistan, near Sialkot. Both materials and production are fair-trade certified. This means that everything is purchased at minimum cost, which is usually much higher than the world market cost. The minimum price is determined by the fair-trade standards. This price ensures that producers can cover their average costs of sustainable production.

A 20% premium also goes into a communal fund to help improve the living and working conditions of the workers and their families. All producers and traders are inspected regularly, carried out by FLO-Cert, an autonomous nonprofit worldwide organization.