THE R.A.D STORY

At R.A.D® we develop our shoes, in Portland, Oregon – the home of performance footwear. We create products that are Tuned for the Future™ – in performance, in form, and in their environmental impact.

Brands talk a lot about sustainability, but what does sustainability mean? We want to be straight with our customers, so here’s what it means to us. The fashion and footwear industry absolutely must reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and do more to preserve the natural world. We’re facing a global
environmental crisis, and everyone is implicated, including us.

We’re not going to lie to you and make grand statements about how perfect we are, because we aren’t. We’re a small, young brand working hard to make the best product, at the best price – responsibly. We’re constantly reassessing our business practices in every stage, from sourcing and
production, to shipping and packaging, and beyond. Ultimately, we use the same philosophy we would when training. We make marginal gains, step-bystep improvements, and keep progressing as we pass each milestone.

But when small brands like us show we can do better, it means the bigger brands have no excuse. That’s what we mean when we say we’re Tuned For The Future.

It’s an unfortunate fact that in the world we live in, ethical production comes at a price. At R.A.D, we’re constantly striking a balance between our values and our financial ability to meet them. We could tell you some vague statistics and deadlines, but we know what spin sounds like, and that’s not how we do things. We’re a small business, and we have aspirations of one day becoming a B Corporation. For now, just know that we’re working hard to learn ways to make every single aspect of our business sustainable. No half measures.

When we make progress, we’ll shout it from the rooftops. Until then, we’re going to shut up, because there’s work to be done, and it’s up to us to do it.

We build our products to perform at the highest level, treating function as integral to form. We also constantly review our own performance to find new ways to improve, innovate and influence our industry.

Performance
Functionality is integral to all great design. Our products are built to perform at the highest level, and we’ll never compromise on that.

Aesthetics
We also believe form is integral to function, because a truly great shoe is one you’ll want to wear everyday, everywhere, for every occasion.

The Future
We create with the future in mind, because our horizon is bigger than our business. That’s why we always design with the environment and sustainability in mind.

As a small, independent brand, we might not have the budget to fund huge R&D projects like some of the bigger labels, but we’re agile enough to innovate, adapt and make changes wherever possible.

In manufacturing, our Swell Foam uses a 30/70 blend of bio-ethanol sourced from sugar cane and fossil-based materials. And don’t worry, we’re working hard to bring that up to 100% bio-based as soon as possible.

As a small brand, we also produce our shoes in very limited runs, and only
produce as many as we think we can sell. So unlike some of the big brands, we don’t produce way more shoes than we need and then try every trick under the sun to get you to buy them. It might sound crazy, but we make shoes to be bought and worn, not to sit unsold on stock room shelves and end up in a landfill.

1% for the Planet was founded to prevent greenwashing, certify reputable giving and provide accountability. The 1% for the Planet certification is given to businesses and individuals that meet our high-bar commitment — donate 1% of annual sales or salary to environmental causes.