Vancouver-based entrepreneur Desiree Dupuis is set to make a big splash in the fashion world next month when she launches her line of vegan Chelsea Boots made from cactus leather. After a year in business, Dupuis is excited to introduce her new footwear line through her website voesandcompany.com and via the aBillion marketplace.

The Voes & Co brand is primed to become a symbol of the vegan movement, which is based on love and compassion for animals, the planet, and humanity. Dupuis’ motto is “work from home anywhere,” and she is currently running the company from her MacBook while living in different cities around the world.

Dupuis has been vegan since 2008 after reading the book “Skinny Bitch” and discovering the atrocities of the animal agriculture industry. She loves fashion, especially shoes, and wanted to create a kinder, more sustainable alternative to animal-derived leather footwear.

While there are faux leather shoes on the market already, Voes & Co is different from mostly big brands using only PU plastic-based material. Dupuis is mission-driven using innovative Cactus Leather, which contains more plant-based components than most current vegan footwear options. She is working towards using fully 100% plant material and eventually wants to be completely plastic-free.

The most notable benefit of cactus leather is that it takes just a fraction of water to make compared to traditional leather. In fact, Collective Fashion Justice has declared that a traditional leather handbag would require 164,650% more water to make than if it were made from cactus leather.

The Cactus leather material is Desserto from Mexico, and they are being made by Ahimsa, a vegan manufacturer in Franca, Brazil. The first style of boots is made with cactus leather, and Dupuis plans to create a few more styles, including classic, elegant staples such as a flat and a heel, as well as a men’s line. She is looking to use different plant-based materials and not exclusively cactus.

The Chelsea Boots are perfect for fashionable women who are looking for better options for the planet and are seeking to make more conscious purchasing decisions. These boots provide them with a designer product that is ethically and sustainably made, so they can feel good about their purchase and empowered that they are helping to drive change in the world.

Dupuis hopes that her brand will become synonymous with the vegan movement and that her innovative use of cactus leather will inspire other companies to adopt more sustainable and ethical practices. She is proud to be part of a growing community of entrepreneurs who are committed to making a positive impact on the planet and the animals that inhabit it. So, get ready New York, Voes & Co is coming to town, and it’s time to step into sustainable style with these innovative, ethically-made boots.