Beyond Skin came into being with the goal of producing women's footwear that is both fashion-forward and cruelty free. The serious lack of stylish shoes available that were consciously made propelled this Eco-friendly fashion label into existence, and today Beyond Skin is creating a wide variety of designer vegan footwear in a manner that is ethical and environmentally friendly, yet beautiful and on trend.

All of the shoes and boots made at Beyond Skin are handmade from the finest recycled fabrics available. In addition, each factory is carefully managed in a way the reduces the carbon 'footprint' of ethical shoe manufacturing, in part by sourcing materials locally whenever possible.

As a result, their vegan shoes can be worn guilt-free and allow consumers to play a conscious role in sustainable fashion selection. Natalie Portman has helped the company gain a greater audience by wearing and promoting the footwear, which has also been featured in magazines like Good Housekeeping, Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan, to name only a few.

With factories located in Spain, Beyond Skin is able to closely monitor production and prevent worker exploitation in the manufacture of its footwear. Common materials used include satins made from polyesters instead of viscose, as viscose is typically produced in third world countries using acid chemicals that generate large amounts of toxic waste, which is often disposed of in nearby rivers and streams, causing damage to local ecosystems.

Also, Beyond Skin opts to use synthetic leathers sourced from Italy instead of animal hides, as creating natural leather is not only inhumane, but also requires the use of much more water and chemicals during the tanning process.

Beyond Skin seeks to have a greater impact on today's important environmental initiatives by donating 10% of pre-tax profits to help Eco-conscious and socially-minded projects worldwide. The company is also a member of PeTA, the World Wildlife Fund and the Humane Society of the United States.

For more information, please visit Beyond Skin online, or you can follow them via their Facebook fan page.

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