Peruvian rubber farmers on board for footwear start-up
26/03/2013
The brains behind Project Piola, Joshua Rudd and Antoine Burnier, volunteered in Peru for a year and “fell in love with” the country. “It started through a random encounter in the Amazon Rainforest,” said Mr Rudd. “We have always wanted to set up a highly creative, independent fashion label that could capitalise on the highest quality raw materials and be part of a potential huge change in the way people improve their way of life.”
The athletic-style footwear range has been designed in France and will be manufactured in Portugal. They are made from wild rubber, organic tanguïs cotton, leather tanned in Italy and alpaca wool. The Peruvian rubber and cotton producers will be paid between three and five times the market price and the project is framed by US-AID and the World Wildlife Fund.
The company has raised $15,000 but needs $60,000 to achieve minimal order quantities to launch production. They have until April 16 to collect enough pledges before the funding is returned to those who have already pledged if the target is not met.
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