Marté Footwear: Redefining Sustainability, Craftsmanship, and Timeless Design

Known for blending sustainability with modern design, Marté Footwear, founded by Tori Angus, is redefining what it means to craft timeless and environmentally conscious footwear.

Tori shares the inspiration behind the brand, the importance of artisan craftsmanship, and how Marté is leading the charge for sustainable fashion without compromising style or quality.

Nicolle: Marté Footwear emphasises individuality and craftsmanship. Can you share the inspiration behind the brand and how it came to life?

Tori: Having been a footwear buyer for some large high street names and working with premium brands for years, I saw a lot of greenwashing and marketing hiding poor practice, and a lack of consideration for workers and environment where only margin and profit was the focus.

I wanted to start a footwear brand where transparency and honesty were at the heart of the business, and where we could be proud of and shout about our supply chain.

Nicolle: Your designs are known for blending functionality with contemporary aesthetics. How do you strike the balance between practicality and style in your collections?

Tori: All our shoes are made from premium Leather Working Group-certified leathers that mould and shape with wear. We also make sure the insoles are removable and super padded for extra comfort.

We don’t use split leathers or leathers coated in plastic, and our signature wing is the perfect finishing tough. You can choose the colour to complement your look.

Nicolle: Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in fashion. What steps does Marté Footwear take to ensure environmentally conscious production and materials?

Tori: We make our products in an artisan factory in Aragon, Spain, where EU law dictates strict labour and production methods. We are proud to support the continuation of these heritage factories, where skills have been honed over the years. We only use recycled packaging, and our card inserts are FSC-certified.

Finally, our mailer bags are from an amazing company called NoIssue, which provides recycled and recyclable packaging.

Nicolle: Your footwear is crafted in Spain by skilled artisans. How do these partnerships influence the quality and uniqueness of Marte's products?

Tori: Our footwear is made in Aragon, Spain in an area that has been shoe-making for decades. The years of learned skills passed down through generations mean we can be completely confident in the comfort and durability of our footwear. 

Nicolle: Marté Footwear prioritises timelessness over trends. How do you approach designing collections that remain relevant and desirable year after year?

Tori: The beauty of Marté is the unique embroidered wing that features in all our styles. The wing is reimagined each season in different colours to reflect key seasonal colours and we release different styles as fashion moves on. We do however completely believe in the timelessness of our core signature pieces. The classic tennis shoe and the classic high top.

Nicolle: The brand’s name, 'Marté,' suggests a sense of strength and individuality. How does this identity resonate with your vision and customer base?

Tori: The phrase Suo Marte means “through one’s own endeavours” in Latin, and we took this as it resonated with our core values of creating a company based on our 3 keywords- sustainability, traceability and accountability.

Our customers believe in our mission to make fashion less impactful and create long-lasting pieces made where the environment and the artisans creating the product are at the heart of everything we do. 

Nicolle: What’s next for Marté Footwear? Are there any upcoming collaborations, designs, or innovations that you’re excited to share?

Tori: We are excited to be releasing some limited edition pieces to celebrate Wimbledon (we are huge tennis fans at Marté!) and we will have new seasonal colours launching in early 2025 including a new “soft champagne” wing colour which is stunning and complements all the sand coloured neutrals coming through for Spring 25.

It's exciting to see a brand that prioritises sustainability, transparency, and individuality, setting a new standard in the footwear industry. We can’t wait to see what’s next for Marté Footwear, from the upcoming Wimbledon-inspired designs to the stunning new seasonal collections.

Here’s to stepping into the future of fashion—one thoughtfully crafted pair at a time.

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Nicolle Knapova is a little bit of everything. She is a freelance translator, content creator and social media executive for The C Word Mag. She loves indie music and is always browsing through Spotify to find the next amazing artist to obsess over. Her love for storytelling means she’s always writing something and she’s not afraid of any genre. Her biggest dream is to be a published author. If she’s not writing her fan fiction, she’s writing her poetry and sharing it on her Instagram @elisecaverly.