Handmade in Porto · Plastic-free
Everything inside the Alpha, how it's made, and the proof.
· Plastic-free · Handmade in Porto · Natural and Plant-based Materials · Designed to biodegrade
The materials
Here’s exactly what goes into every pair of Alphas, and why.
Sourced in USA · Made in Portugal
Natural rubber cured with a plant-based curative. Free from synthetic rubber and plastic.
100% bio-basedSourced in USA · Made in Portugal
Made from natural rubber, plant oils and waxes, and plant and mineral pigments. No plastic.
Plastic-freeMade in France
Soft natural latex foam that cushions the foot all day.
Natural latexMade in Germany
No synthetic fibres, no plastic threads.
Cotton + natural rubberMade in Portugal
Natural pigments from plants, with no synthetic chemical dyes. Every batch is dyed by hand, so no two pairs are exactly alike. That’s not a flaw, that’s what handmade looks like.
Plant-based colourMade in Portugal
Natural cotton canvas, breathable and durable, free from synthetic coatings. Stitched with TENCEL™, a fibre made from wood pulp.
No synthetic coatingsMade in Portugal
The tongue logo and insole mascots are embroidered in cotton, not printed.
Embroidered, not printedMade in the UK
Holds the layers together without plastic. The adhesive itself is certified biodegradable under EN 13432 Compliance.
Compostable adhesive
Lead, cadmium, phthalates and formaldehyde: none detected. Sharp points, sharp edges and small parts: pass.
Report QLAB-2412TF0861R, January 2025, overall result: Pass.
Cotton canvas, free from synthetic coatings, stitched with TENCEL™ threads.
PLIANT™ natural rubber cured with a plant-based curative.
MIRUM®, made from natural rubber, plant oils and waxes, and plant and mineral pigments
Natural latex milk foam
Organic cotton and natural rubber.
Plant-based natural dyes.
Every single pair is made by hand in Portugal. We work with a small, family-run workshop where Ana and Augusta, alongside the others, use their 30+ years of shoemaking expertise to craft the shoes.
skilled craftspeople
years of experience
Let's be honest.
The Alpha costs $128 because natural, biobased materials cost more than plastic ones. Because handcrafted production in a reputable European factory costs more than mass production. Because choosing suppliers based on their material values rather than their price point costs more.
What you're not paying for is a marketing budget, a celebrity endorsement, or a cheaper version of this shoe made with corners cut somewhere.
Every decision about this shoe starts with the materials. The price follows from that, not the other way around.
Kids under 7 outgrow their shoes every 4–6 months. Every component of Little Fierce is selected with the intention that they can safely return to the earth.
A Little Fierce shoe, in a home worm bin. After 12 months the canvas upper was gone, the elastic had nearly disappeared and the sole was breaking down. A home experiment, not a lab test. But we're super excited to see it happen.