Green Shoes: The Eco-Friendly Footwear
It seems like everywhere you look these days, from cars to buildings to personal hygiene products, you find a trend towards "going green". Big business is starting to understand that investing in our planet will pay off for everyone, and products that have been around for ages are starting to be offered in environmentally friendly ways. Shoes are no exception. The green shoe trend has hit big shoe outlets as well as designer boutiques and online distributors. Some companies are even adopting green industry standards in the production of their shoes. But what, exactly, are green shoes? Why are they a hot item right now? And, most importantly, where can I find a pair?
Any environmental activist will tell you that walking is the most eco-friendly mode of transportation. Green shoes, also called organic or vegan shoes, are en extension of that idea. While most modern shoes are made from PVC, nylon, leather, or other non-sustainable material, green shoes are made from earth-friendly material, such as hemp, bamboo, soy, and recycled plastic and rubber. They are also often produced through environmentally safe means, which means they leave a very small carbon footprint (pun intended).
There are a number of designers and companies on the market that feature environmentally friendly shoes. Timberland offers a few green shoe options, including the Baldaci Ballerina Taupe Suede Flat. This stylish flat includes a moisture-wicking lining made from seventy percent recycled yarn. In 2007 the company introduced green index tags on all of their shoes, so consumers can know how much energy was used in the production of each shoe. Simple Shoe's Green Toe program is a similar concept with a new twist -- customers get to take guided tours through each of the eco-friendly materials used to produce their shoes. Outdoor apparel suppliers, such as Patagonia Outdoor Clothing, offer green shoes and boots for hiking, climbing, camping, and fishing. Vegan shoe maker MooShoes produces dress and casual shoes as well as boots and sandals for men and women. There are even environmentally friendly kids' shoes on the market -- GreenPiggies will keep your little tyke looking great while he or she helps save the planet.
Even large, well-known corporations are jumping on the green shoe bandwagon. Payless Shoes launched a green campaign this year with a line of shoes that they are touting as the first affordable green footwear line. This green line features organic cotton and linen, recycled rubber outsoles, natural hemp, and minimal packaging. Priced at around thirty dollars, Payless has been applauded for helping bring the green revolution from the affluent consumers to the more common crowd.
Another green industry standard that is being used to reduce the carbon footprint of footwear is green leather treatment. Traditionally, leather tanning has been done using harsh chemicals that end up polluting nearby lakes, rivers, fields, and the air. Countries such as Pakistan, where tanning is one of the biggest industries, are experiencing horrible environmental problems due to chemical waste as well as fumes from the diesel engines used to power the plants. Some leather tanning plants, including one opening in Vietnam in 2009, will use eco-friendly means of processing leather. Renewable energy use, such as solar and wind, will help reduce water usage by fifty percent and energy use by thirty percent. These types of business practices will help to reduce or eliminate the carbon footprint of the leather tanning industry.
The benefits of the shoe industry going green are obvious. Everyone needs shoes, and if the majority of the industry practices that go into the production of those shoes are not environmentally friendly, then our planet is being negatively impacted in a huge way. By using organic, natural products, adopting eco-friendly production methods, and using alternative energy sources like water and wind, shoe manufacturers around the world could make a significant difference in our struggle with global warming.
It might not seem like much, but choosing a shoe made with environmentally friendly materials, in an eco-conscious manner, can help our world a great deal. And with green shoe lines emerging from top designers, there is no reason not to show the world you care about the environment and go green.
~Ben Nystrom, 2008