8-EYE BOOT
Description
8 EYE BOOT IN BLACK CACTUS
Combat boot with a supple cactus-based exterior. Strong and versatile. Slate grey lug sole made of rubber and coffee ground waste. Blake construction allows for easy repairs. Extended pulltab and tongue. Waxed cotton lace with steel aglets. OEKO-TEX 100 certified microfiber liner. Removable recycled cork insole. Genderless sizing. Tsuno bag included.
This boot is 100% free from animal products.
Made in Porto, Portugal.
Production Processes
CONSTRUCTION
Read more about cactus leather here. The material is extraordinarily leather-like and boasts strong durability and water resistant test results. While the cacti's farming process is carbon negative, we have found non-virgin inputs for both the insole and sole: cork and coffee ground waste. These changes add strength to our footwear arsenal.
LABOR
Technicians at our factory partner are paid monthly for 12 cycles. For 2 months of the year, August and December, the entire factory has paid leave, plus an additional 22 days to use at the employees' discretion. As the factory specializes in the high quality but time consuming goodyear and blake constructions, workers must be highly skilled. These employees see a 15% higher wage than the average footwear industry in Portugal.
PACKAGING
# GI - 4301 - 20 - 123 is securely wrapped in a limited edition brown Tsuno Bag and then placed in a post-consumer shippable shoebox. Water-based biodegradable tape is used.
Sizing
Our 8 Eye Boot fits true to length with a slightly wide forefoot. We recommend measuring the insole of your favorite pair of boots and referencing the chart above. You'll notice they changed 1-2mm from our previous boot. We took the same exact last and tweaked it to fit our new sole! If you are between sizes, note that our cork insoles are medium thick and removable with minimal arch definition; you can easily swap them with thinner insoles or more robust orthotics. We welcome any additional questions you may have via support@groundcover.com.
| Size | Cork Insole Length (mm) | Cork Insole Width (mm) | US Size (Men's) | US Size (Women's) |
| 36 | 242.00 | 85.00 | 3 ½ - 4 | 5 |
| 37 | 248.00 | 86.50 | 4 ½ - 5 | 6 |
| 38 | 252.00 | 88.00 | 5 ½ - 6 | 7 |
| 39 | 258.00 | 90.00 | 6 ½ - 7 | 8 |
| 40 | 268.00 | 92.00 | 7 ½ - 8 | 9 |
| 41 | 275.00 | 94.00 | 8 ½ - 9 | 10 |
| 42 | 280.00 | 96.00 | 9 ½ - 10 | 11 |
| 43 | 288.00 | 98.00 | 10 ½ - 11 | 12 |
| 44 | 295.00 | 100.00 | 11 ½ - 12 | 13 |
| 45 | 300.00 | 102.00 | 12 ½ - 13 | 14 |
| 46 | 308.00 | 106.00 | 13 ½ - 14 | 15 |
| 47 | 312.00 | 110.00 | 14 ½ - 15 | 16 |
BLAKE STITCH CONSTRUCTION
CARBON NEGATIVELY FARMED CACTUS LEATHER EXTERIOR
SLATE GREY RUBBER SOLE MADE AND DYED WITH COFFEE GROUND WASTE
PRODUCT DESIGN
8 Hole
Above Ankle
Blake Stitch
Reinforced Heel
Knotted Dust Bag
MATERIALS
Cactus Leather Upper
Microfiber Liner
Recycled Cork Insole
Cotton Lace
Rubber and Coffee Ground Sole
US-Cotton Dust Bag
TRIMS
Steel Aglets
Steel Nails
Heavy Gauge Thread
WHERE THEY'RE MADE
Our boots are constructed at a goodyear and blake specialized factory in Portugal. The current factory has been in business for over 54 years with the family business launching in 1890! They employee 130 highly skilled workers, and, although they use traditional high quality construction methods, they have new age benefits for their workers. Technicians receive 15% higher wages than the average footwear worker in Portugal. They receive 2 months of paid time off in August and December plus 22 vacation days. In this case, their expertise is in our blake construction which can be replaced at nearly any cobbler.
Our cactus leather upper is grown and milled in the state of Jallisco, Mexico. While the farming process is carbon negative, they are still working towards 100% bio based materials. Currently, their goal is to apply the fabric to industrial projects such as automotive. You can read more here.
Our soles (as well as other trims/components) also come from Portugal. They are a mix of rubber and coffee ground waste which what gives the sole a beautiful slate grey hue.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
