Oliberte
Oliberté  is a sustainable footwear brand based out of Ethiopia selling handmade leather boots at an accessible price point. We had a chance to try out two of their best-sellers (the women's Zulira and the men's Ngola ) and loved the premium leather, unbelievably lightweight construction, price, and lifetime warranty. Oliberté is also based out of Ethiopia at the world's first Fair Trade Certified factory and aims to end generational poverty through local work opportunities 
— by "trade, not aid." Premium leather — especially the kind that’s handmade and has to be imported — typically comes at a much higher cost than what you’ll find being sold online at the up-and-coming startup,  Oliberté . Known since 2013 as the world’s first (and only) Fair Trade Certified footwear manufacturing factory, the company is responsible for the lightweight, premium leather boots you might recognize from your Instagram feed — but what makes them different, aside from how lightweight and luxurious the shoes are for their price — is the company they come from. Oliberté is based in Ethiopia and aims to end generational poverty in sub-Saharan Africa through “trade, not aid” — providing work opportunities to 70+ people (most of whom are women) and pairing with suppliers, farmers, and craftsmen across Africa to build and sell a premium product. Oliberté believes that “with the right partners, each country within Africa has the means to grow and support its people.”
The factories provide safe jobs with good wages where none existed before. A portion of the profits from each product sold are reinvested into the creation of more factories and jobs, and, over time, the community will experience exponential economic growth and social enterprise as the company itself grows. In their words, the end goal is that “adults are able to work. Children are able to attend school. [And] a new generational cycle begins”. Oliberte
This respect for workers' rights and wages also transfer to unique respect for customers. On top of a handmade leather boot sold at a fraction of the price of competitors,  Oliberté will also give you a lifetime warranty against any defect. And on top of an already low price, you can expect free shipping to the US and Canada. Out of respect for the environment,  Oliberté sources their materials locally and limits unnecessary packaging. They donate 1% of all profits to the planet through " Give Back to Blue ", and they're a certified B-Corporation, which means they've been recognized for "harness[ing] the power of private enterprise to create public benefit." Voluntarily, they're meeting higher standards of sustainability, transparency, and performance than are legally required. In  Oliberté 's  words, they're just trying to make a really great product without losing sight of the need to "[do] right by all." We had a chance to try out two of their best-sellers the best-sellers — the Zulira (women’s, $140) and Ngola (men's, $180 ) — and you can read our thoughts below, but in summary: we loved them. They're impossibly lightweight, the leather is high-quality and supple, and the laid-back style goes with anything. For the price and lifetime warranty, they're a fantastic deal. And perhaps just as importantly, we feel good about shopping here. Below are the boots we tried, plus our thoughts and experiences. Browse all Oliberté footwear here. Ngola boots (men's, $180)Oliberte
When I first learned about  Oliberté , the quote “Give a man a fish, and you’ll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you’ll feed him for a lifetime,” came to mind immediately. There are many companies that help people in need by making a donation for every purchase (TOMS and Bombas come to mind first), but Oliberté isn’t in the charity business. They’re able to empower the people of Africa with a vertically integrated business model that helps support local communities. By sourcing materials and creating the shoes in Ethiopia and other African countries, the brand creates jobs and generates revenue for many people — farmers, tanners, craftspeople, and other factory workers. In addition to having an amazing backstory, the products are great, too. I tested the Ngola Boot in Rustic Brown, a 6-inch combat style with a low profile jagged outsole. What I like best about the Ngola is the padded ankle collar and tongue, which is lined with 100% goat leather. For a combat boot, they’re also extremely light, which makes them one of the most comfortable boots I’ve worn. I wouldn’t recommend wearing them as a work boot, but if you’re looking for a stylish, lightweight boot that also supports a good cause, the Oliberté Ngola is it. I've been seeing these shoes all over social media, so I was excited to see if I could love  Oliberté 's best-selling Zuliras as much as I love the company’s ethos of ending generational poverty through work opportunities. After wearing them pretty much every weekend since getting them, I’m happy to say that they’re worth the hype based on nothing but their fit, look, and price — though the ethical practices are an undeniable feel-good incentive. The Zuliras are unbelievably light — much lighter than any other pair of shoe I own aside from flip flops — and the leather is soft and high-quality. I slipped them on right out of the box for a two-mile walk around the city and came home without blisters, too, which is a feat that always impresses me. Since receiving them, I've found myself habitually grabbing them for grocery runs and trips; I can walk all day in them without feeling weighed down, and they look good with basically anything. Some customers found the ankle to be tight and sized up as a result, but mine have been true to size. I can only fit thin socks inside at the moment, but since leather stretches with repeated wear, that could change in the future. With anything handmade you have to leave some room for variation, so if you’re concerned about fit or want extra room for thicker socks, you may want to size up. If you're looking for a pair of lightweight, high-quality pull-on leather boots that feel good to wear and feel good to buy, these are a great option. Follow us on Pinterest . Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Business Insider's Insider Picks team. We aim to highlight products and services you might find interesting, and if you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback.Have something you think we should know about? Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com. Read the original article on Insider Picks . Copyright 2018. Follow Insider Picks on Twitter . More from Insider Picks:

These handmade leather boots are a fraction of the cost you'd normally pay — and the come with a lifetime warranty

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September 29, 2015
When he was 24, Tal Dehtiar found himself on a bus with a gun at his head. He was hitchhiking through South America at the time, fresh off of graduating from business school. It was while on a bus in Brazil that a gunman boarded, demanding that everyone hand over their belongings. Dehtiar refused. He told the attacker that he thought the gun was fake and, after an intense exchange, the man jumped off the bus. To this day, he doesn’t know whether the gun was real or not. “I am just a stubborn mule, that’s really what it is,” the 34-year-old says. Dehtiar was born in Israel, though his Russian parents moved the family to Canada when he was still a baby. Dehtiar’s stubbornness, which arguably borders on craziness, is also what supports his entrepreneurial passion. His company, Oliberte , makes fashionable footwear out of a Fair Trade certified factory in Ethiopia’s capital, a region steeped in poverty and corruption. Image credit: Oliberte
Related: When More Is Less: This Social Entrepreneur Says Social Entrepreneurship Is Often Smoke and Mirrors
Unlike some of its competitors, Oliberte doesn’t offer a “buy-one-give-one” model of charity. The company gives back in a more traditional way: by providing good, stable jobs to people who need them. “You will never hear me call myself a social entrepreneur. I despise the word. I think it’s silly,” says Dehtiar. “We are not helping people; we are helping them by letting them help themselves.”
Nothing about his mission is easy. Fair Trade is a third-party certification bestowed on foods, products and factories that operate within certain thresholds of responsible, fair and ethical behavior. Companies pay to be certified by Fair Trade, and in return, if they meet the criteria, are given the Fair Trade stamp of approval. That stamp goes on packaging gives customers instant validation that a product meets stringent guidelines in how workers are treated. Due to the complexity involved, it’s harder for a company to make Fair Trade certified clothing than it is to make Fair Trade certified coffee or chocolate -- and shoes are a whole other order of magnitude. There are more than 40 steps required to make and ship a handmade shoe, according to Dehtiar. Right now, Oliberte, which was founded in 2009, is the only line of shoes to be made in a Fair Trade certified factory. Image credit: Oliberte
Related: For This Entrepreneur, Helping Women Around the World Find Their Voice Meant Finding Her Own
The shoes, which are a cross between rugged-looking hipster sneakers and casual dress shoes, are made of material sourced entirely from Sub-Saharan Africa. Tags and insole labels are made in Mauritius; the rubber for the outsoles comes from Liberia, South Africa, Kenya and Ethiopia. The shoes, which range from $100 to $220 a pair, are sold in 10 online retailers that service Australia, South Africa, and North America, and in 75 storefronts throughout the U.S. Oliberte has a small selection of leather backpacks and bags as well. Manufacturing in Africa comes with its share of difficulties, though Dehtiar is determined to prove that it’s worth it. “We literally are surrounded by pirates. We literally have universities held hostage in Kenya nearby,” he says. “We are not making stuff in your neighborhood backyard. We are under the most extreme circumstances possible and we are still doing it. We are literally trying to stay alive while making shoes.”
Right now, he has 110 workers in the factory in Ethiopia and 10 managing the business out of Toronto. Image credit: Oliberte
Related: Pencils of Promise Is Giving Nonprofits a Hard-Nosed Entrepreneurial Facelift
Despite its challenges, manufacturing isn’t Dehtiar’s biggest problem -- it’s getting consumers to open up their wallets. Dehtiar has found that you first have to sell customers on style, then educate them about the purpose of your brand. The company hired celebrated men’s designer Mark McNairy to make the line fashionable. The education process is gentle and organic, beginning with a map of Ethiopia etched on the soles of the shoes. As Oliberte grows -- it’s expecting to hit profitability for the first time in 2015 -- Dehtiar wants to tell anyone and everyone how he has built his business. “We want to expand by getting others to replicate the model. “That, for us, is the biggest compliment," he says. “This is a social experiment. I am going to spend my life figuring this out and hopefully I am right. And if not, I will be dead, so who knows.”
Image credit: Oliberte


This Guy Makes Hipster Shoes in Africa. But Don’t Call Him a Social Entrepreneur.

Fair trade footwear: Oliberte
Oliberte’s line of fair trade certified boots and shoes are the perfect sustainable addition to every guy’s wardrobe. With features like hand built styling, pure goat leather lining, and a commitment their African supply chain, why don’t you have a pair on your feet already? The best denim jackets, shirts and jeans for spring
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Flipping through The Manual: Tools for your wrist, sipping the world’s rarest beer

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What's Next for Oliberte?

OrthoLite supplies open cell foam insoles to brands like ASICS, Carhartt, New Balance, Merrell, Nike, Puma, Vans and Timberland.

OrthoLite

To celebrate this partnership , Oliberté and OrthoLite will host a Twitter sweepstakes between July 30 - August 6 , 2013 .

Ortholite Announces Partnership With Casual Outdoor Leather Shoe Brand Oliberté - OrthoLite - High Performance Comfort Insoles - Open-Cell Foam Technology - Footwear Brands

Date	3/1/2013
Round	Angel
Amount
Investors	Investors' Circle
Valuation
Revenue	0 FY undefined
Sources

First funding	3/1/2013
Last Funding	3/1/2013
Investor	Investors' Circle
Rounds	1 Angel
Board Seats
Type	Angel Investor (Group)
Location	North Carolina

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