The Green Parent

It goes without saying that one of the best things you can do for the planet is to avoid buying new stuff. Renting, borrowing, swapping with a friend or buying secondhand “preloved” goods reduces the consumption of new materials and lightens the load on landfills. But that policy can be difficult to follow when it comes to finding shoes. Still, the materials, glues, and dyes used to make a new pair of shoes can be rough of the environment. So when you do need to buy new, look for shoes that help you tread lightly. Get ready to step out in style this spring with some eco-fabulous footwear that helps you reduce the carbon footprint of your footprint.

Simple Shoes is a good first stop if your looking for innovative sustainable footwear for any member of your family. The shoes include organic cotton, recycled PET plastic, jute, cork, recycled car tires, and water-based glues all wrapped up in a box made from 100% post-consumer waste recycled material. With each pair of shoes from their “Stop Global Warming” line sold, Simple will donate $5 to StopGlobalWarming.org.

Hush Puppies new Harmony footwear line launched last fall with a collection of shoes that use natural materials (jute, hemp, bamboo) water-based cements, and shoes boxes made from recycled paper and soy based inks. Currently, only women’s styles are on sale, but keep your eyes open for the men’s line that will launch this fall.

If you’re looking for vegan footwear, check out the Finn from Patagonia. This shoe is made from synthetic materials instead of leather as well as water-based solvents and recycled materials. The Finn is made in both men’s and women’s styles.

Timberland’s eco-efforts go beyond “greenwashing.” A number of the company’s stores are carbon neutral, they use renewable energy at several of their facilities, and they provide a $3,000 incentive for employees that purchase hybrid car

s. Many of their shoes (like this sweet ballerina shoe for girls) are made from recycled materials. Look for the “Green Index” label on their most popular styles to learn about the chemicals and materials used and climate impact created to produce each item.
Got a craving for high fashion? Check out the selections from té casan designer Niki Robinson. Robinson aims for “sustainable style,” using natural and recycled materials like the natural vegetable tanned leather and recycled silk headscarves from Oxfam used to create the limited edition Alex shoes shown here.

Adidas Originals has recently launched their Grün line of clothing and shoes that incorporate recycled materials as well as natural stuff like bamboo, hemp, and even corn husks in their design. Check out the Marathon Vintage Gr

ün, that features recycled PET, recycled EVA, and recycled rubber.