Actress Nia Long has joined the esteem ranks of celebrity PETA spokes models.  The successful “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” campaign has featured such celebrities as Eva Mendes, Khloe Kardashian, Naomi Campbell and  Roselyn Sanchez. Ralph Lauren made a committed in 2006 to not use fur in any of its collections after talks with PETA.  One of our favorite eco designers, Stella McCartney, recently participated in a PETA’s anti-fur commercial for television during Fashion Week in Paris. Individuals can personally pledge not to wear fur by visiting PETA.org.

On a side note, personally I’m a fan of the campaign and PETA’s quest to bring awareness of animal cruelty. I am not a fan of the photograph, which appears to my untrained eye to be Photoshopped and overly edited. I am left wondering, as beautiful as Nia Long is, if she really is comfortable in her own skin?

My sassy friends at Ideal Bite are offering some great eco friendly sandal suggestions from Simple Shoes, Vegan Essentials, and Celery Street Their suggestions are not only eco, but oooh so fun and affordable!

I love Ideal Bite because they offer simple and useful information for living a more eco friendly and green lifestyle. Please check out their suggestions as well as many other eco-related info at Ideal Bite.

PETA, synonymous with animal rights, has an ongoing celebrity anti-fur awareness campaign makes reality TV. An episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians features the transformation of one of their newest spokesmodels, Khloe Kardashian.

Find out more by visiting Khloe’s site.

http://khloekardashian.celebuzz.com/

~Ar

YES YOU CAN be eco and luxurious! Designers Beyond Skin Sui Generis shoes and Rachel Cassar are very adept at producing impeccable eco friendly designs that are sophisticated.

Although Rachel Cassar is not an eco shoe designer, she showed up on my radar as many eco designers do. Rachel hails from Australia and has a passion for eco fashion. Both of these designers maintain unwavering ethical production standards. Sui Generis uses vegetable materials and 90% of Rachel Cassar garments are from recycled materials. Rachel’s eco couture designs are simply beautiful and would definitely pair well with these Beyond Skin Sui Generis vegan sandals.

I love this quote from Rachel “The only way people are going to accept eco fashion is if they’re not sacrificing anything for it…” It certainly conveys the sentiment of those of us who are pursuing fashion consciousness.

My hope is once the plethora of eco fashion options are discovered, they will become the standard and not the alternative for all.

~Ar

I am often asked, “What is Eco-Friendly,” “What are Vegan Shoes,” “What makes green shoes “green”?” I’ve sourced it to 5 Things that make Eco Friendly Shoes: Materials, Manufacturing, Social Responsibility, Design and Consciousness.

1. Materials

Eco friendly shoes differ greatly in content. Vegan shoes are animal-free, meaning all materials used contain no animal byproducts. Most vegan shoes have a synthetic microfiber which looks like leather. Cruelty-free uses animal byproducts such as wool, alpaca and cashmere that are harvested in a human manner. Eco Friendly designers use materials from organic plants, like bamboo, hemp, cork, organic cotton, silk, sasawashi, that are grown in pesticide-free environments. Recycled content such as carpet padding, clothes, plastic, and rubber are also creatively used to produce eco friendly shoes. As seen here, designer, Arti Upadhyay, has used all vegan materials for her Neuaura Shoes Shiner shoe.

If you haven’t heard of Melissa Shoes, I have no doubt you soon will. Melissa Shoes is another innovative company using recycled plastic and some really neat technology. I will be featuring some of their amazing shoes in future posts.

2. Manufacturing

The manufacturing process is probably the most important element that differentiates “eco friendly shoes.” The use of non toxic chemicals and solvent free adhesives alleviate strains on the environment. Some facilities are even powered by solar or wind energy. Many implement conservation and waste reduction practices that are put in place and as part of the work culture. Designers featured in Eco Shoe Source posts take proactive steps to minimize the impact on the environment during the all phases of shoe production. Eco friendly designers are impacting local communities in developing countries by providing opportunities for fair living wages and decent working conditions. Neuaura Shoes are manufactured in a factory in Brazil that received the Green Seal in 2008 in recognition for its compliance with Brazilian environmental laws.

3. Social Responsibility

I’m sure it’s hard for us to fathom that some would pose as caring about the environment purely for profitable reasons. What I’ve found is social responsibility is what compels many eco shoe designers to Go Green. You will be impressed by their commitment to sustainable practices from conception to production. Kailia Footwear is an eco friendly company that has successfully merged the concepts of eco, ethical and social responsibility as part of its operations and core mission. Charmone, Neuaura, Melissa and Kailia and their Do-Ni line are just some designers that donate to some of the same organizations that we support to either protect animals, the environment and/or women’s issues.

4. Design

One of the most impressive aspects that we eco fashionistas expect is exceptional styling of shoes. It’s often the aesthetic that appeals to us first. Going Green doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style, selections or comfort. Often when I tell people I’m wearing eco shoes, they’re amazed!
“Whaaat! Those are eco,” is often the refrain. Celebrities are joining the field of eco designers as eco friendly shoes become more mainstream. Most notably is the success of Stella McCartney and recently Natalie Portman’s collaboration with Te Casan. We welcome them to the movement and the publicity they bring. Chunky heels, boots, platforms, strappy sandals, flats, pumps, peep toe–there’s a style for every taste.

5. Consciousness

The beauty of the Eco fashion and Go Green! movement is there are differing shades of green. If you rather buy eco friendly shoes than recycle, that’s a valuable contribution to the environment and perfectly acceptable. As you see, the efforts that goes into bringing eco friendly shoes to market is quite prodigious.

Yes, the shoe industry as a whole still has some work to do, but we all do. The great news is that there are many emerging eco friendly designers offering fashionable eco friendly options. Going Green is attainable for all and any effort is valuable. The point is to DO SOMETHING. Since I started Eco Shoe Source, I learn more everyday and am encouraged by the challenge to help make the world we live in better place.
~Ar

Thongs by some accounts can be considered the oldest form of footwear. Egyptian Hieroglyphics dating 15000 BCE depict images of footwear that closely resemble the modern day flip flop. The laborious construction of ancient footwear were of organic harvested materials like, wood, leaves, plants, grass, tree bark and coconut skin. Egyptians appear to be the first to employ vegetable tanning techniques and spun flax for thread to hold the shoes together. The Egyptians, also famous for their fondness of jewelry, would adorn their thongs with beads, metals, gold and precious stones. For those of you like me wondering, the name “flip flop” derived from the sound the shoe makes when walking. Flip Flops are universal footwear and concepts of the original design appear in ancient Rome, India, Asia South Africa and other countries. Other names for flip flops include Thongs, Jandals, and Chappal.

Flip flops are the simplest of all shoe designs; featuring just two components, a simple sole and strap (thong) that holds the front of the foot to the shoe. What I found most interesting about these ancient shoes is that they were typically worn by men of means. Thankfully for us fashionistas, Flip flops have come a long way in that regard.

Flip flops evoke a carefree, relax mode. For me, other than a great pair of 4 inch heels, I live in flip flops. Thongs serve a great purpose for me; I can still look cute sporting a FABU pedi, when running to the market or just taking a stroll. Flip Flops are great alternative to sneakers.

Flip flops have crossed the threshold from just beachwear to everyday footwear. As workplaces are adopting more relaxed dress codes, it is not uncommon to see flip flops in the office. Many probably remember when some in the public went aghast as Northwestern’s Women’s Champion Lacrosse team showed up at the White House for a photo opt donning Flip Flops. Now it is not so uncommon to see thongs wearers, at casual and red carpet events. Mainstream shoe designers have channeled the Egyptians and are adorning thongs with sequins, metallic, swarovski crystals, gemstones, diamonds, and offering them in varying heel heights. Eco footwear designers seem to be inspired by the ancient origins of thongs by their use of the similar organic materials. Once again, because of its simple design, styling options for flips flops are unlimited.

These delicious Mink Shoes Thongs and are vegan. Mink never disappoints with their play on animal names for their shoes. These are called Lemur. I love the delicate petal applique that frames the sides of the foot. Perfect for that flowing sundress and matched with a flower in your hair.

Hip hop-eco flip-flops with a little BLING! Melissa Shoes, brings it with their patented Melflex plastic technology. There’s no sin in these thongs that are made of recycled plastic and has a delightful fruity smell added during manufacturing. The Sin+J Maskrey shoe is dazzling with the crystals on the T. This flashy eco flat is ideal for petite gals looking to elongate their legs and pairs nicely with a short jumpsuit.

Go for a bold look with Olsen Haus eco friendly thongs aptly named Goliath. These gladiator thongs are strong and solid with an adjustable buckle. Olsen Haus doesn’t overdo it; they’ve kept this black and tan sandal simple. This thong has a great profile from the side and the top. For a knockout look, this shoe can be coordinated with classic linen.

I’ve also come across some very impressive eco shoe companies. Pikolinos is certainly ranks among the most impressive. They are located in Spain. Their 2009 Summer Orinoco collection was awarded the EU Eco-label. The EU Eco Label certifies that strict environmental standards are adhered to during manufacturing. It doesn’t stop there. Pikolinos, committed to reducing it’s carbon footprint has a “zero paper” policy and waste generated within the company is recycled. And on a social responsibility front Pikolinos collaborates with several social, cultural, sport and development projects. Endeavors include UNICEF; our Mundy Organization in Ancash, Peru; the Aderbissinat Community project in Tadibene, Nigeria; AMAMEC (Woman Breast Cancer Affected Association) in Elche, Spain; and, investigation projects in Elche Hospital in Spain. You can’t help but feel good with a purchase of Pikolinos.

Hopefully, I’ve provided a good start for you to consider as shop for your Summer footwear. Why not add a couple eco pair? So whether you’re off to the beach, market, dinner or special event walk like a modern Egyptian eco style.

~Ar

The days are longer, sunnier, and warmer.   Summer is finally here!

Stella McCartney’s Spring/Summer shoe collection whimsically uses organic materials such as canvass, raffia, linen, wood, and rubber soles.   Stelly shows her vegan flirty side with adorable cherry appliques on flats and sandals.  The hot Sailboat shoe is a patriotic red & blue eco wooden wedge heel that’s perfect for an Independence Day celebration.   This eco collection has something for every summer day, flats, wedges, platforms, thongs, espadrilles and is, of course vegan friendly.

Please check out this video of Stella McCartney’s Spring/Summer 2009 Collection by Shoe bunny.  Her eco friendly collection is as refreshing as a cold glass of lemonade.