Ahmad Habshee of Urban Salvation and Dharni Take On the Eco-Friendly Clarks Origin and Wallabee Sneaker - Men's Folio
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Ahmad Habshee of Urban Salvation and Dharni Take On the Eco-Friendly Clarks Origin and Wallabee Sneaker

  • By Asaph Low


Clarks created its most sustainable shoe, the Clarks Origin with just five components; Dharni and Ahmad Habshee discuss their definitive five traits alongside sustainability.


Ahmad Habsheet of Urban Salvation and Dharni Take On the Eco-Friendly Clarks Origin Sneaker
Ahmad Habshee (@UrbanSalvation), Artisan Furniture Maker

Define sustainability in your own words.
Working towards developing our current environmental and social circumstances to a safer future.

How does Urban Salvation incorporate sustainability into its everyday dealings?
Our integrity in using sustainable material, creation of timeless design, high quality Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) finishing to create artisanal furniture for our current customer is so that future generations can be proud of their heirloom. Also, our DIY campaigns and fun videos promote the love of woodworking to the public.

 

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What can people expect to find at Urban Salvation?
Handcrafted furniture using high quality, solid reclaimed wood and the insistence to promote sustainability from artisan work.

Ahmad Habsheet of Urban Salvation and Dharni Take On the Eco-Friendly Clarks Origin Sneaker
Clarks Origin leather sneakers

As a business leader who champions sustainability, what are the challenges of staying faithful to the cause?
Convincing people that imperfection is a beautiful character and to cultivate purpose for a sustainable life.

What does it mean to support businesses that focus on sustainability?
The act fosters longevity over profiteering.

 

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Clarks created a shoe with just five components. In your case, what are five things that sum up Urban Salvation?
Strong commitments towards sustainability; target specific issues; foster long-term relationships with customers; originality through bespoke services and being a space to learn and teach others through mentorships.

How does it feel to see a footwear giant like Clarks make a conscientious effort to be as sustainable and responsible as possible through materials and innovations?
It’s a start, there is always room for improvement. Never settle or be complacent when it comes to sustainability practices.

Clarks’ Origin is their vision for a more sustainable future, what is your version?
To leave a legacy that reconciles economic prosperity, social inclusion and environmental responsibility is the essence of a sustainable future through our furniture.

Ahmad Habshee is wearing a pair of Clarks Origin Wallabee suede shoes. 

Ahmad Habsheet of Urban Salvation and Dharni Take On the Eco-Friendly Clarks Origin Sneaker
Dharni (@Dharni), Beatboxer

Define sustainability in your own words.
To me, it’s a mental state of survival against all odds and maintaining your form in spite of the challenges you face.

How do you weave sustainability into your lifestyle?
I have short and long term goals in mind that I work towards and to keep myself moving forward. This forward movement is sustainability to me.

 

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A post shared by Dharni (@dharni)


Do you think sustainability has been normalised or is it still a far-fetched idea?
I think it is slowly normalised as we humans evolve. We branch out and find new ideas to keep moving forward.

What does it mean to support businesses that focus on sustainability?
It means supporting the fight to minimise wastage and processes that are harmful to the environment; we can minimise the damage to the world.

Clarks has made a conscientious effort to be as sustainable and responsible as possible, how does this resonate with you as a consumer?
The aftertaste of consumption is the most important thing; it’s realising that I’m using something good for the environment and I feel comfortable thinking about it.


Clarks Origin Wallabee suede shoes

How do you feel knowing a footwear giant like Clarks is actively advocating sustainability through materials and innovations?
Clarks has always tried to reinvent themselves to stand out and I feel they’re on the right track. Their commitment to sustainability is very respectable because they never give up as they try to improve themselves even when facing so many competitors.

The Clarks’ Origin extension, made with a zero-glue five-piece construction, puts forth their most sustainable shoe yet — how does it translate in terms of comfort and fit?
They’re light and comfortable; the materials are slightly thinner too so there’s more ventilation and feels cool on the feet.

 

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Clarks created a shoe with just five components. In your case, what are five things that sum up Dharni?
Creativity, going against the norm, being open-minded, courageous and of course, sustainable.

Clarks’ Origin is their vision for a more sustainable future, what is your version?
Going solar powered. The technology is improving every day and is more efficient, with it we can cut our emissions that are harmful to the environment.

Dharni is wearing a pair of Clarks Origin leather sneakers.

Clarks will be collecting pre-loved shoes at all of their Clarks retail stores and donating them to soles4souls https://soles4souls.org/. Clarks Origin and Origin Wallabee are priced at $249 on clarks.sg


Photography Cher Him
Art Direction Izwan Abdullah
Styling Manfred Lu
Grooming & Hair Sha Shamsi using Boy de Chanel and Hanz de Fuko

This story about Ahmad Habsheet of Urban Salvation, Dharni and the Clarks Origin collection first appeared in the April 2021 issue of Men’s Folio Singapore.