ə'serdiv is not just a brand; it's a testament to the extraordinary possibilities that arise when passion, ethics, and innovation converge.

ABOUT US

assertive | ə'serdiv | No More Compromising: Cruelty-Free Comfort

At ə'serdiv, our mission is simple yet profound: No More Compromising. This isn't just a tagline; it's the essence of who we are. From the materials we select to the design of each shoe, we are dedicated to creating footwear that aligns with both ethical values and exceptional comfort.

Learn more about our values and what we stand for below:

Assertive Ethos

Our brand name, ə'serdiv, pronounced "assertive," embodies our spirit. In a world where women are often told to be less assertive, we embrace it fully. To us, being assertive means standing strong in our values and ensuring that our customers never have to compromise on what matters most to them.

No More Compromising

We believe no one should have to choose between comfort and ethics. Our shoes are 100% vegan, reflecting our commitment to cruelty-free fashion.

Each pair of ə'serdiv shoes features orthotic insoles, providing superior comfort and support. This dual focus ensures our customers enjoy the best of both worlds.

Cruelty-Free Comfort

Cruelty-free is at the heart of our ethos. We meticulously source sustainable and vegan materials, ensuring that no animal suffers for the sake of fashion.

We are proud to exclusively use AppleSkin materials in our entire range. AppleSkin is a sustainable bio-based leather alternative made from apple by-product discarded by the beverage industry. By utilising apple pomace, an industrial waste, AppleSkin does not require additional resources such as land, water, or fossil fuels to produce new raw materials. This innovative approach is based on upcycling, which finds new value in discarded waste and recycles it into high value-added textiles to achieve zero waste, significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Our AppleSkin material is 100% vegan and certified as 66% USDA Bio-Based AppleSkin Leather, composed of 33% wood fiber, 33% apple waste fiber, and 34% waterborne PU. This dedication to sustainable materials underscores our mission to provide stylish, comfortable footwear that respects both our customers' values and the planet.

Our innovative Super Critical Foaming technology in our footbeds offers exceptional cushioning, while our vulcanized rubber outsoles provide durability and a refined finish.

Our Commitment to Sustainability

Ethical Sourcing: Every material we use is chosen to align with our cruelty-free promise. Our shoes are made in Dongguan, China, where our supplier undergoes annual SMETA audits performed by Sedex—one of the world’s leading ethical trade organisations. Sedex assesses labour standards, health and safety, environmental performance, and ethical conduct. Workers are paid above the living wage, and our supplier complies with local labour laws regarding salaries, social benefits, working hours, conditions, and insurances.

Sustainable Packaging: We use eco-friendly materials and processes to ensure that our products are as kind to the planet as they are to your feet. Our shoes are packaged with Melbourne-based Heaps Good Packaging. The FSC certified shoeboxes are made from recycled or reused cardboard, sealed with water-activated recyclable tape made from natural potato starch adhesive, and sent with compostable shipping labels printed on 100% plastic-free Ecolabels using a thermal printer.

Join the Movement

When you choose ə'serdiv, you're not just buying shoes; you're joining a movement that values assertiveness, ethics, and comfort. You're standing with us against compromise, advocating for a world where fashion is both stylish and kind.

Thank you for being part of our journey. Together, we can walk confidently into a future where no one has to compromise their values for comfort.

  • OUR FOUNDER

    Irene Brown, our founder and designer has worked almost 25 years as a designer and developer in the Australian footwear industry and as a committed vegan, personally experienced the limited choices in stylish and comfortable footwear that aligned with ethical practices. Discovering the limitations- designer shoes often sacrificed comfort, while comfort-focused options lacked aesthetic appeal - led to the birth of ə’serdiv, a brand committed to redefining the future of footwear with a simple yet powerful ethos: "No more compromising." Welcome to a new era in footwear.

  • OUR LASTS

    At ə'serdiv, we prioritise the often overlooked 'last' in shoe making. Unlike others, we didn't opt for generic shoe moulds but meticulously designed each one from scratch to make certain all our styles feature a wider C width, ensuring a comfortable fit, emphasising our commitment to quality craftsmanship.

    Additionally, our lasts are developed with custom extra depth, allowing our shoes to accommodate our specialised insoles or even your own orthotics.

  • OUR FOOTBEDS

    Engineered using our Super Critical Foaming, an environmentally friendly and sustainable process, the cutting-edge material boasts a higher pore density and superior overall performance that has been widely adopted in Performance Athletic Footwear, providing the ideal combination of cushioning and responsiveness. Listen here to learn the benefits of our removable insoles

  • OUR OUTSOLES

    Our rubber outsoles, known as the 'German Sole', originated in the early 1950s to replicate a leather-like hand-feel and finish. Crafted from vulcanized rubber with synthetic SBR rubber, it boasts abrasion resistance and aging stability.

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Irene Brown - founder of e'serdiv

At ə'serdiv, our shoes are made to inspire and bring joy