World Environment Day is a reminder that the choices we make, no matter how small, all add up. It's a day that sits close to home, because the questions it raises are ones we're asking ourselves all year round. How do we make things better, how do we make things last, and how do we make sure that what we put out into the world doesn't end up contributing to the problem?
We don't have all the answers, but we're working on it, and we think it's worth being open about that.
WHAT WE STAND FOR
LANX exists to make proper footwear that lasts. Every pair is made using high-quality materials and construction methods designed to be repaired, not replaced. When something wears down, we fix it in-house at our Lancashire factory, by the same people who understand exactly how it was built.
Our goal is simple: your LANX footwear should never end up in landfill, and we're putting the infrastructure in place to make sure of it.
RE-LANX: KEEPING FOOTWEAR IN CIRCULATION
RE-LANX is at the heart of everything we do around sustainability. Every pair of LANX footwear is designed to be repaired. When something wears down, we fix it properly, using the same machinery, materials, and expertise that made it in the first place. Much like a car, properly maintained footwear can continue to perform and look great for years. Our RE-LANX REPAIRS service is run entirely in-house at our Whalley factory, by people who understand exactly how each style was built. This informs how we design, with feedback from our repairs team feeding directly into the design of future releases, ensuring every new iteration is better than the last.
When a pair reaches the end of its life, we're working towards a zero-landfill approach, taking back worn products through RE-LANX, disassembling them where possible, and partnering with recycling specialists to handle materials responsibly. The goal is simple: keep as much as possible out of landfill. We're not there yet, but it's where we're headed.
RE-LANX operates across three branches:
REPAIRS
Every pair of LANX shoes is designed to be repaired, not replaced. When a sole wears down, or a component gives out, we fix it properly, using the original lasts, like-for-like materials, and the same machinery that made them in the first place. It’s all about proper repairs that give your footwear a new lease of life.
TRADE IN
When you no longer have a need for your LANX footwear, you can hand it back to us directly in exchange for LANX Loyalty Credits. We'll take your footwear, restore it, and pass it on to a new owner. Keep good footwear in circulation, not in landfill, and reward the customers who share that value.
MARKET
Officially opening in August 2026, the RE-LANX Market is a dedicated section of the LANX website where fully refurbished LANX footwear will be available to buy. Every pair is checked, sanitised, and brought back to life, ready for their next owner. Existing footwear, extended life, kept well away from landfill.
BUILT INTO EVERYTHING WE DO
The message goes beyond RE-LANX; we consider every detail along the way.
MANUFACTURING
We are proud to say all our accessories and the majority of our footwear collections are made in England, a decision rooted in our connection to the local community, a commitment to the highest level of quality control, and our passion to invest in British manufacturing.
We also work with many English suppliers, including Charles F Stead in Leeds, Dainite in Market Harborough, and British Millerain in Rochdale. This local collaboration allows us to create footwear that is not only high-quality but also truly reflective of our regional heritage.
Our passion for craftsmanship extends beyond footwear, with all our belts made in the LANX factory. Additionally, our wallets, bags, and shoe horns are made in Lancashire, socks and hats in the Midlands, and clothing sewn in Staffordshire. Some of our partners are so close that they even pop round when they've run out of milk. That sense of community is essential to who we are.
While we proudly operate our own manufacturing facility in Lancashire, we also work with carefully selected family-run footwear factories overseas. These partnerships allow us to maintain flexibility and continue meeting demand without compromising quality. By splitting our sourcing between the UK and select overseas factories, we can ensure a steady flow of materials and products, even when challenges such as the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic arise. In these instances, we make a concerted effort to choose sea shipments rather than air to keep our emissions per pair to a minimum.
We operate our own on-site Lancashire warehouse and work with long-term factory partners to keep transport distances down. We don't rely on carbon offsetting as a headline claim; instead, we focus on reducing impact from the beginning, through the sourcing, production, and logistics decisions we make every day.
MATERIALS & COMPONENTS
Leather is the main component in all of our footwear, so we take a considered approach to how we source and use it. To ensure durability and longevity for all of our products, our footwear typically uses 1.6–1.8mm thick leathers, well above the industry standard of 1–1.4mm. The design process is carefully considered to maximise yield and reduce waste during cutting, and we work closely with our factory teams to improve efficiency at every stage.
We are proud to only use LWG-rated tanneries, such as Charles F Stead in Leeds, ensuring full transparency through material biographies and verified standards around restricted substances. Many of our leathers are designed to age, patina, and develop character over time. We deliberately lean into that, including areas of the hide that others might discard, such as vein marks, oil variation, and natural surface character. It’s all part of the product, making each pair individual, and more importantly, a design choice that allows us to maximise the yield of each leather hide.
What's under your foot matters just as much as what's on top. We use Dainite rubber soles made in Market Harborough, outsoles from world-renowned Italian sole manufacturer Vibram, and for all other soles we opt for rubber or high-abrasion-rated TPR. Combined with our repairable construction, it means your shoes never need to be thrown away simply because the sole has worn down.
PACKAGING
We keep our packaging simple and recyclable. Most of our cardboard boxes are made just down the road from us at Cardboard Box Co in Lancashire. We also use recyclable mailing bags and paper stuffing throughout. We’re moving away from plastic handles on our boxes entirely, replacing them with a cotton lace for in-store orders by the end of 2026. For our online orders, boxes will be sent without handles entirely in order to reduce waste. Foam dividers inside the shoeboxes are also being phased out in favour of other recyclable materials by 2027. The goal is straightforward: less waste, fewer materials, nothing unnecessary.
KEEP THE JOURNEY GOING
At LANX, we are not perfect, but we strive to make decisions that align with our values and always aim for improvement. We welcome feedback from our customers to help guide our ongoing journey toward sustainability and growth. If you have suggestions or thoughts on how we can continue to improve, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Your input is invaluable as we move forward, and we believe that constructive feedback is essential for both the brand and our customers’ satisfaction.
It all comes down to making proper footwear that lasts, but doing that responsibly means navigating a complex and ever-evolving landscape of regulations, legislation, and material standards. From restricted substance requirements and leather tannery certifications to packaging compliance across EU and US markets, the demands are significant, and the bar is constantly rising. We know them, we monitor them, and we build them into every decision we make, from the suppliers we choose to work with to the materials we use.
Thank you for your continued support. It truly means the world to us. We look forward to the road ahead and the opportunity to keep creating proper footwear that embodies quality, integrity, and a commitment to making a positive impact.
