Saman, an eco friendly and very Colombian project in Paris
Author: Saman
Paris, November 2020.
Parisian fashion impacts at first sight, not only the haute couture that adorns the stars of the most central neighborhoods of the city, but also urban fashion and within the reach of ordinary society.
Old industrial neighborhoods are now rising in Paris as new sources of creativity, youth and an exciting dynamic for innovation. The 11th district stands out for its energy and the ecological responsibility of the shops and bars that are found in it. Precisely, in this neighborhood we began our history in Paris and we found in the streets the inspiration to create a product that transmits all the energy of Paris and the Colombian color.
After 23 years living and traveling in Colombia, Juan David decides to study in Europe where he discovers the abysmal difference in the quality of life between European and Latin American citizens, even people with fewer economic resources can access an apartment with the minimum conditions. of comfort, something unthinkable in Colombia.
This impact planted a seed in our ideas for 3 years. We decided to look for a project that would promote the local Colombian industry and improve the quality of life of the peasants and inhabitants of the cities.
Displaced indigenous people, disappearances, lack of education, violence and everything that obscures the beauty of our landscapes is an open wound that we want to help seal, uniting common projects.
Walking through the streets of Paris, seeing its art galleries, markets and bio stores, Haussmanian buildings, the baroque decoration of the churches and listening to the sirens that accompany the rhythm of the city. All this, in combination with the terraces of Parisian cafes and the relaxed style of his youth, allowed us to discover a culture of eco-responsible sneakers that had been growing in Europe.
Brands like SAYE, FLAMINGO, ZETA, VEJA, COMOVITA, among others, are brands created in central Europe. Barcelona, Paris and Rome are the centers for the creation of these sustainable concepts where a product is designed and then produced, in most cases, in Portugal from recycled, organic or vegan materials.
These brands are only a reflection of the environmental awareness of European youth and government support for eco-sustainable initiatives. For us this was like a revelation.
Awakening the environmental awareness of young Colombians from a product as emblematic as sneakers and also producing them by Colombian hands, based on vegan and organic materials grown in Colombia, is a unique opportunity to unite projects that we could not waste.
We decided to join projects. We contacted a genius in Antioquia who decided to patent the production of leather from fique leaves, some duros in Bogotá who recycle rubber from tires to reuse it, a highly experienced team in Cali that uses regenerated cotton to make laces and even a master in the production of boxes from sugarcane bagasse.
We contacted a very Colombian manufacturing team that is in charge of putting all the love into the final product. This team employs young people from conflictive neighborhoods in eastern Cali and gives mothers heads of household the opportunity to return to work.
We only needed a name...
We are music lovers and our Franco-Colombian roots could not be denied coming from the country with the most musical rhythms in the world. The bambuco, the joropo, the currulao and the vallenato are so diverse that they cannot be framed in a single concept. But in the baroque a concept was born that included many musical forms. The sonata, the union of sweet notes that accompany the rhythm of the heart, which increase the pressure and awaken the senses.
This is Saman's story...
Sonatta is Saman's first design, inspired by the fashion and culture of the 11th arrondissement of Paris. Artistic dynamics and youthful energy make these shoes more of an experience than a product.
Paris is a metropolis full of cultural richness that reached every corner of the Saman designers , a richness that today is expressed in the comfort and good taste of classic sneakers.
But the story of the first Saman model does not stop there. Young people like you and like us participated in their improvement during several sessions. We innovate with a public creative process to make sure you'll love our designs. Created by you, for you.
The"
A touch of minimalism and neatness make the letter S stand out on the side of the shoe. The S represents the perfection of life. Unlike the circle and infinity, symbols that represent natural cycles, the S represents the zigzag of our decisions, the changes and the capacity that we as humanity have to adapt.
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Characteristics: - Made in Colombia - Sustainable - Responsible |
SAMAN 's spirit is to reduce environmental impact, promote local industry and drastically respect human rights, replacing traditional sneakers produced from polluting materials with a responsible, sustainable and ethically handmade product in Colombia.
We unite spectacular projects:
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MATERIALS
Fique-based vegan leather
We use vegetable leather created from fique . We do not use materials from animals .
Fashion is the second activity that most pollutes in the world . Inks and polyesters are used to reduce costs and replace leather, but these are highly polluting processes .
Colombia is the main producer of fique in the world but only 4% of the plant is used. The long fibers of the plant are often used to produce coffee sacks. Vegan leather is made from short fibers.
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Reduced environmental impact:
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It is a innovation patented by a Colombian and whose production will take place in Itagüí.
In addition, the crops are usually located in areas of the country where hectares of illicit crops are replaced.
Natural rubber and reused scrap tires
Eastern Colombia is one of the most important sources of natural rubber in Latin America, in departments such as Meta, Vichada and Santander high quality natural rubber is produced that replaces highly polluting materials such as Expanded PVC, one of the most used materials in the footwear currently.
On the other hand, one of the 10 largest environmental problems in the world is the disposal of solid waste such as tires . They are usually burned, or discarded in the streets. This of course generates social problems such as diseases that are transmitted through mosquitoes (yellow fever, dengue) and environmental problems such as high levels of air pollution .
Very soon in our black models we will use reused rubber from recycled tires to create our soles .
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Reduced environmental impact:
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Regenerated cotton-based laces
SAMAN slippers come with an alternative to conventional cotton. Cotton is recycled by classifying the materials by color. Afterwards, the fabric is crushed until the crude fiber is obtained. Finally, it is spun again to be reused in new garments.
This is an environmentally friendly recycling process as no new cotton is used.
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Reduced environmental impact:
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In addition, the cords are produced in commune 22 of the city of Cali. We support the local industry to reduce the CO2 emitted in transport .
And since every detail is important...
Cardboard made from sugarcane bagasse
The first contact you will have with your SAMAN shoes will be with a natural material , without chemicals and above all based on waste .
Our box is made 100% from cane fibers extracted from the bagasse or leftover of this material in the industry.
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And as if that were not enough, our boxes are made by some people from Cali who have a very traditional and responsible company with its workers in the San Nicolás neighborhood.
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