Our New Partnership with the Non-Profit Wings of the Ocean
Credit : @Sylla Quentin
Fleeters: A Barefoot Brand with Purpose, built on Sustainable Production
Making Fleeters a responsible brand has never been optional—it’s been our conviction from the very beginning. These values have guided every step we take. Our barefoot sneakers are designed to minimize their impact on the planet. They’re crafted from innovative vegan materials (like grape leather and corn-based alternatives) and recycled components.
For the past 3 years, our partnership with Bcome—the leading sustainability platform in fashion—has ensured complete traceability and full transparency on the origin of our materials and production processes. Fleeters also embraces the principles of slow fashion by keeping production volumes balanced and demand-driven, supported by a preorder system to avoid overproduction.
After two years as a member of the 1% for the Planet collective, we decided in 2025 to take our commitment even further by collaborating with a new partner actively working in the field: Wings of the Ocean. The French non-profit leading the fight for ocean protection and against wild waste, especially plastic. 🌊
One Goal: Protecting the Blue Lungs of Our Planet
Did you know the ocean covers 71% of Earth’s surface and produces half of our oxygen? As the planet’s true “blue lungs,” the ocean absorbs 30% of greenhouse gases (compared to 14% for forests) and plays a key role in climate regulation. Put simply: without a healthy ocean, there can be no sustainable life on Earth.
But today, our oceans are under threat. Every year, more than 10 million tons of plastic end up in the sea—the equivalent of a garbage truck every single minute! This figure could even triple by 2040. As a result, 150 million tons of plastic are already polluting our oceans, endangering marine biodiversity and, ultimately, our own health. Once broken down into micro-particles, plastic contaminates everything: water, soil, air… even our food! Faced with this alarming reality, one French association has decided to act concretely.
Wings of the Ocean: A Non-Profit Acting on the Ground Since 2018
Credit : @thomas bousquet
Founded in 2018, Wings of the Ocean has been working across France—from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic—to protect the oceans by tackling plastic pollution. Their work focuses on three main pillars:
- Raising awareness: bringing the reality of wild waste to the public and inspiring action.
- Collecting and studying waste: organizing cleanups year-round with volunteers, then categorizing and mapping the debris to better understand pollution.
- Scientific collaboration: sharing collected data to support research and policies that reduce waste at the source.
Their impact speaks for itself. Since its creation, the association has:
- Organized more than 1,000 awareness events
- Carried out 1,400 cleanup operations
- Reached over 50,000 people
- Collected more than 150 tons of waste
- Shared data to contribute to citizen science
In 2025, the Year of the Ocean, Wings of the Ocean continues its mission with renewed strength, including the return of the Kraken, its iconic depollution vessel, which tours French ports to raise awareness among the public.
Fleeters x Wings of the Ocean: A Shared Commitment to the Planet 🌍
At Fleeters, we’ve always chosen to put positive impact at the heart of our journey—whether through our vegan and recycled materials, our European-based production, or our support of non-profits.
That’s why it was only natural for us to join forces with Wings of the Ocean, whose mission to protect the oceans deeply resonates with our values. Together, we aim to inspire, mobilize, and act to safeguard the ocean—our most precious common good.
Want to learn more about our commitments and about responsible fashion in general? We’ll take you behind the scenes to share the challenges and benefits of Slow Fashion for a minimalist footwear brand.
