Hush Puppies is renowned for its casual footwear catering to men, women and children. Their focus has always been about making a positive difference and inspiring their customers to “help shape a brighter world.” Today, that means a world where the pressing matter of climate change is addressed. According to German watch, Pakistan ranks 5th in the list of countries most vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. Hush Puppies wants to help bolster our government’s efforts to mitigate this change through Vision 2025.
In order to get more people to play their part in creating a greener and cleaner future through small steps, the brand has also taken to social media with their initiative, creating the viral #smallstepschallenge. The company is firm in their belief that each positive action towards protecting the environment, no matter how small, is significant in the fight against climate change. Further, Hush Puppies has partnered with Waste Busters for a tree plantation drive, the first leg of which is complete.
In honor of Independence Day, they plant 500 trees in Raiwind, Lahore.In line with this belief, they have introduced the first ever “Good Shoe” in their range – an eco-friendly, stylish shoe that doesn’t compromise on comfort. “The Good Shoe” uses bounce technology in the sole which helps one stay comfortable with sustained cushioning even up to 250,000 steps. The shoe is made from algae harvested from water bodies where it is causing harm, and has 100% recycled uppers made from ocean landfills plastic (from approximately 500,000 plastic bottles) helping improve the environment by giving a second life to those plastics and reducing trash in our landfills. All round, it is their most sustainable shoe. Their mission is to innovate their core Body Shoe category (which is also made from Bounce footbed technology, with bio-Dewix and bio-Derix, the antimicrobial inner and upper being made of these natural and sustainable dry fabrics which are good for moisture management, among many other benefits) and provide the wearer with unmatched comfort. And that isn’t all: Hush Puppies is planning to plant a tree for every Good Shoe sold, meaning each pair is a direct step towards climate resilience.
Firhaj Footwear (Pvt.) Ltd subsidiary of Umer Group of Companies introduced the brand in Pakistan, where the growth rate of their shoes has been recognized and appreciated by Hush Puppies® USA as being the second largest in the world. The Umer Group of Companies has always been conscious of environmentally-positive measures. Another project undertaken as part of this environment protection initiative is the deployment of a large-scale solar power unit producing 50kV of clean electricity. This unit will significantly reduce the company’s carbon footprint. This switch towards using renewable and sustainable energy resources is a huge win for environmental health.
In addition to this, Hush Puppies is one of the only local companies to have integrated their Point of Sale system online. This avoids production of paper waste through printing invoices. The company actively educates customers about the importance of SMS or Email based invoices to eliminate the need for paper entirely.
Mohammad Qasim, Managing Director of the company, is focused on leading the change: “at Hush Puppies, we try to take every step we can to ensure a sustainable future. From our products all the way down to the hand sanitizers we use, we try to emphasize on eco-friendliness.”
Hush puppies has clearly renewed their focus on sustainability and is making exhaustive efforts to ensure they not only reduce their carbon footprint with their green investments and sustainable products, but also encourage others to play their part in improving the environment. Their socially responsible and future-focused approach is inspiring and other companies should follow their lead in taking action in every capacity to combat the pressing matter of climate change.
