Poppy Barley is a Certified B Corp and luxury footwear and accessories brand that stands out for comfortable designs using more responsible materials than traditional equivalents. They make all products in brand-audited factories that they have long-term direct relationships with. They promote circularity with a trade-in program, and regularly give to charity through their Future Fund. Their customers rate their products highly, loving their style and quality. At the time of writing, Poppy Barley is rated as “Mastering”, placing them within 20% of the leading brand in the Footwear category.

About Poppy Barley

Sisters Justine and Kendall Barber launched Poppy Barley in 2012 because they saw a market gap for fairly priced shoes designed to be worn on repeat. The company’s name is an ancestral nod to medieval English village artisan cobblers, who used poppy seeds and barleycorns as the units of measurement for shoemaking. They draw on traditional shoe making approaches, along with fostering direct relationships with their factories, all the while rethinking luxury for people and the planet. While the brand began as an exclusively e-commerce company, today they also feature a number of retail stores across three Canadian cities.

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AccessoriesAllBagsClothingFashionFootwearTravel
Attributes
Ethical Sourcing
Raw materials have been sourced ethically with people and planet in mind.
Handcrafted
Products have been made by hand, typically by an artisan or group of artisans.
Recycled materials
Some or all products are made with recycled materials
Thoughtful packaging
Product packaging has been designed and created with the end of life outcome in mind and can be easily recycled or composted.
Woman Owned
This brand is owned by a woman or a group of women.
Certifications / Memberships
B Corp LWG
Location

Edmonton, Canada

Pricing

$$$

Ships from
Canada
Ships to
CanadaUnited StatesAustralia

Rating Summary

Nature & Animals

Poppy Barley’s shoes and accessories feature extensive leather. This leather is almost all Leather Working Group (LWG) certified and many of the products feature Chrome-free Nexta linings. LWG is a reputable certification body which aims to address key environmental and social issues related to leather sourcing and production including: increased supply chain transparency, increased resource efficiency, reduced waste and emissions, improved chemical management and increased use of non-hazardous chemicals, and improved working conditions and fair treatment of workers. Not all Poppy Barley’s tanneries are certified; however, one of their main tanneries has water recycling processes in place to treat the wastewater and the brand is continuously encouraging all their leather suppliers and tanneries to become certified. Deadstock leather is used for smaller products. Other more sustainable materials used in Poppy Barley’s products include Desserto® cactus leather and some use of recycled knits. Some clothing products feature uncertified merino wool, polyester and small amounts of stretchy synthetics like spandex and nylon. Product packaging consists of certified organic cotton dust bags, FSC-certified boxes, and FSC-certified tissue paper printed with soy-based inks. Unsold and unsellable merchandise is donated to a variety of charities and clear action is taken to improve product end of life outcomes with a take-back program, clear care instructions, and repairs are offered. There are some mitigating actions on climate change including carbon offsetting, use of LED lights and in-office impact reducing challenges, but no clear targets or tracking are in place. There is no tracked environmental footprint, waste, pollution, and energy used specifically for the brand’s retail stores however stores are replenished in weekly batches to reduce shipping impact. There is no formalized animal welfare policy or brand level tracing of their leather or wool. Their suppliers have advised that leather is a byproduct of the meat industry.

Score for Nature & Animals: 37%. Learn more about our scoring here.

Communities & Wellbeing

Poppy Barley’s direct workforce is provided with extensive benefits, along with competitive salaries and opportunities for professional development. Glassdoor reviews show a workforce score of 4.8 stars (4 reviews) at the time of writing. Human rights throughout the supply chain is managed via a published code of conduct and includes relevant child and modern slavery policies. Tier 1 factories are disclosed with direct auditing by Poppy Barley at least every two years and a due diligence audit occurs before taking on any new suppliers. No third-party auditing is present. The brand supports a few small factories with <15 people employed. No formal DE&I policy is in place, but the female-founded brand includes a clear statement on equity & inclusion on their website’s career page. Their product offerings are size-inclusive with foot sizes of 5-12, medium and wide width shoes, and tall boots in a variety of calf widths. Customer safety is addressed through a privacy policy and secure checkout is in place. Most products are LWG certified and aligned with Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) standards. Chrome-free linings for leather is used, but disclosures on dyes used for knits or the safety of non-LWG certified products are unavailable.

Score for Communities & Wellbeing: 67%. Learn more about our scoring here.

Values & Governance

Poppy Barley is a medium-sized business that currently employs 48 people. Transparency and ethics are conveyed with their B Corp status, which requires recertification every three years. There is some additional annual reporting where the focus is on current commitments, with minimal tracking of progress. The brand has no history of or current greenwashing, false claims, or destructive marketing. Poppy Barley gives substantial donations to various initiatives and voluntary organizations through their Future Fund including KidSport and Junior Achievement. From 2023-2024, they donated ~$40K.

Score for Values & Governance: 67%. Learn more about our scoring here.

Product Performance

Products are generally rated 4-5 stars (almost all 5 on average). Poppy Barley’s range receives high praise from shoppers for quality, design, fit, comfort, and overall product quality. The brand also offers repairs.

Score for Product Performance: 100%. Learn more about our scoring here.

Review Summary From Other Customers

Pros

  • Customers regularly express high satisfaction with Poppy Barley’s overall product quality, stylish designs, and comfort.

Cons

  • The brand’s main challenges identified by their customer base are occasional sizing issues, high price points and product availability outside of Canada, USA and Australia.

Mastering

Top 20% of brands

Poppy Barley scores 56% overall, scoring within 20% of the top rated brand in their respective industry. Learn more about our scoring here.

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