Can wellington boots be sustainable, fashionable and keep your feet dry?
Yes, if you choose a pair of Hunter wellington boots. Not only can you choose a pair designed by Stella McCartney, but Hunter wellies are made from sustainable natural rubber and their best-selling Original Boots are vegan. And when your much-loved rubber boots have been to one too many festivals , they can be upcycled into a road, punch-bag filling or a children’s playground through their reboot scheme.
Now an icon of the British festival scene, the Hunter Boot Ltd heritage is firmly in the countryside. The brand was founded in Edinburgh during 1856 as the North British Rubber Company. Known for forging ‘designs that shield pioneers from the elements and bleakest of landscapes’, not only did the brand's rain boots protect over 1 million forces during World War 1, it earned a Royal Warrant to HRH Duke of Edinburgh in 1977 and later to HM The Queen in 1986.
A strong brand position and a symbol of Britishness.
In 2013, Alasdhair Willis joined Hunter as creative director and transformed the 160-year-old brand into the progressive international fashion brand it’s known as today. Voted as one of the Top 50 Creative Leaders by Creative Review, he’s led the Hunter Original boots into four pioneering catwalk shows at London fashion week. While the Hunter Field collection is designed for technical outerwear performance, ready for all elements in rural or urban surroundings.
Collaborations with high-street and catwalk favourites.
In April 2018, Hunter partnered with Target USA for a limited-edition collection of boots, outerwear and accessories for all the family. They launched with the Ultimate Family Festival as a way to celebrate the brands love of getting together with friends and family in the great outdoors. For Hunter, this was an awesome way to establish the brand in the USA with their stylish and durable designs.
The Stella McCartney collection championed the Hunter Boot brands foray into sustainability. Sourcing Yulex™, a plant-based alternative to neoprene. The range ensures the wellbeing of the workers and community are the priority, alongside ensuring no rainforest deconstruction occurred in Guatemala, where the rubber is sourced from.
This collection was showcased to the world at Stella McCartney’s A/W 2019 fashion show in Paris. Featuring the Chelsea boot with new, rugged soles and a striking olive-green colour option in sizes for men and women.
The best of the boots
- Has to be the Stella McCartney Chelsea boots in olive green. A re-interpretation of the classic welly, ideal for wearing through the rainy streets of winter to keep your feet dry and cosy!
- I’m in love with the play boots, featuring a small wedge sole. This is where Hunter have really let their hair down and got creative. Currently on offer: pearlescent pink boots, bold logo print options and rainbow soles for a limited-edition Pride collection, delivering a ray of hope by donating 10% of net sales to OutRight Action International’s COVID-19 Global LGBTIQ Emergency Fund.
- The Hunter brand has expanded to include a fine range of accessories and apparel to compliment the iconic Original Boots, but they’ve gone one step further to produce a selection of boot socks!
- The Original Boots. Available for women, men or children, these boots have been a staple of the British countryside and with the same design since 1957! Now they come in a variety of colours, heights and even width.