Manuel said:
"This is great news! I hope all cities pass this into law.The practice of using plastic bags just to quickly dispose of them has been going on far t..." [read]
Jay Knecht said:
"What are the performance stats for the Son of Max? ..." [read]
gazelle said:
"@ Dallas:
The book, and the supplementary videos in the "How It All Ends" youtube series, address this in detail, but I'll try to paraphrase:..." [read]
Barry said:
"Kofi Annan has about as much of a clue about electric cars and developing countries as Ann Ann the Panda.
He underestimates the ingenuity o..." [read]
JJ said:
"Very cool. I didn't thought that biodesel might be our future fuel...." [read]
Derek said:
""I guarantee you this will spark huge debates around the world," she said. "We have to delve into this in a way that hasn't been done in a long tim..." [read]
Play with eco-fashion label Feral Childe paper dolls. Credit: Feral Childe via Ecouterre
We've been seeing Feral Childe around New York lately--at the NOW Showcase, at Kaight two nights ago, and as paper dolls on Ecouterre. The Brooklyn-based fashion label is known for their silk screened textile prints, use of sustainable materials--organic cotton, soy, tencel, handmade buttons, hemp--and their eclectic style and funky prints. Click through to download, print, and play dress up in their Fall 2009 collection or for Halloween--as a Frilly Lizard or Great Horned Owl--Feral Childe-style.
Green is the new black at Nike. Image via: LogoDesignGuru
At the Pop!Tech Conference this year, one thing to come out of the event are the new Labs that Pop!Tech will be holding to find solutions to many of today's resource use 'issues.' Nike was first with their hand up, asking for help on finding a way to make shoes and other items keep running for miles and miles without the need for new resources. Pop!Tech said they accepted that challenge and will get on it right away.
Simple Shoes BIO-D Spring 2010 collection. Credit: Simple Shoes
This past week I popped over to Simple Shoes' showroom to preview what's in store for Spring 2010 and checked out BIO-D, their first collection of biodegradable footwear -- outsoles and midsoles break down to dirt in a landfill environment in 20 years. Like Simple's ecoSneaks, the footwear is made with sustainable materials: hemp uppers, recycled car tire bottoms, organic cotton linings, recycled plastic bottles (PET) shoe laces and foot beds, and water-based glues. Click through for photos of their biodegradable shoes.
Ever wonder what happens to all of those corks you see collected in the bins at grocery stores? Seems like a great recycling program, if you can remember to bring the corks with you, but where do they go after that? Certainly not to get stuffed back in new wine bottles, right?
SDN Designer Marcus Hicks in his own design; pant shoes. Credit: Emma Grady
The NOW Showcase brought sustainable fashion designers out for a Spring 2010 preview at the Terminal Building in New York City this past week. Marcus Hicks of Sarah Dixons Nova (SDN) -- a Brooklyn-based clothing company that focuses on quality and social responsibility -- showed innovative pant-shoes (above). We saw a Linda Loudermilk dress created from a Steve McCurry photograph, lovely T-Luxe lingerie in organic silk, a versatile bamboo jersey dress by ANGeL RoX, what Rebe can do with vintage fabric, and more designs. Click through for show highlights and for photos of what designs will be hot come Summer 2010.
Since the very beginnings of TreeHugger, we've been crazy about Terra Plana's sustainable shoes. From reusing shoe lasts to creating 99% recycled Worn Again sneakers and bags from reclaimed materials, Terra Plana are known for going a step beyond your usual green footwear company. They're latest effort is, they say, their greenest to date - and they seem to be wearing their political hearts on their,errm, feet with their choice of name.
North Face men's "Hedgehog" model shoe, with "AgION® antimicrobial footbed covering Lightweight, compression-molded EVA midsole." Image and caption credit: North Face
If a manufacturer claims that a consumer product suppresses bacterial growth to the benefit of human health, it is, in effect, asserting that there is a pesticidal or "anti-microbial" property. Which tiptoes up to "antibiotic." As a matter of Federal law, firms must not make that claim in the USA, with promotional materials or on packaging, unless the pesticide has been registered for that type of application. The logic is impeccable for this requirement: ignorant product designers have been tempted to put hazardous substances in contact with human skin. Without proper registration, consumers might end up paying a premium for an unsubstantiated foofoo dust claim. Or, there could be unanticipated, adverse environmental consequences after use of the pesticide becomes widespread - poisoning out a sewerage treatment plant, for example. North Face apparently skipped the registration check for a large footwear line before such a claim was made. EPA noticed in a San Francisco shoe outlet!
Image via: Zappos.comZappos.com, that gigantic shoe website where you can get tasteful and tasteless (and even vegan) shoes at cheap prices, now sells Recycled Glassware? Yep, and with a name like Highbury Collection of Recycled Glassware Serving Pieces, they're catering to the elite greenies with pieces like this. Surprise: the name may be highbrow, but the prices aren't. ...
House of Organic Spring 2010 Collection at the Green Shows during New York Fashion Week. Credit Meaghan O'Neill
House of Organic's Spring/Summer 2010 collections at the Green Shows -- the place to be for style-minded greenies during New York Fashion Week -- featured designs by Johanna Hofring, Desiree Hammen, Anja Hynynen, Maja Gunn, Meiling Chen, Eko-Lab, Mika Machida, Kaori Yamazaki, and Righteous. The designers worked with -- you guessed it -- organic fabrics -- including linen, cotton, hemp, and wool in natural colors hand-dyed with plants -- with woven, crocheted, and embroidered detailing crafted by hand. The sustainable clothing designs were reflected in the natural hairstyles; models sported a running-through-the-forest look created by john masters organics' green team. Click through to the slideshow for a front row runway seat.
...
Patagonia Footwear continue the open dialogue about their participation in Backpacker magazine's Zero Impact Challenge: to make a backpacking boot for a hiker hoisting a 13.5 kg (30 lb) pack and to do it with the least impact.
Click the link for Patagonia's previous communication on the challenge, (which Hi-Tec, Oboz, La Sportiva, and Wolverine are also undertaking.) But read on to learn how Patagonia are progressing in their product development....
Images via Po-Zu
How can a pair of Wellington boots save the rainforest I hear you ask? Well let me tell you about Po-Zu's new Well boots, yes that's Well for Wellington - geddit? Launching as the stars of Po-Zu's A/W 09 collection the Well boots are being produced in collaboration with the super chic Brazilian brand Amazon Life. These sturdy yet stylish boots are made out of 'wild rubber' collected by Kayapo Indians rubber tapers working deep in the Amazon rainforest....
Image from oliberte
Here are some new sneakers that look good and are about more than just fashion. They are made with a social conscience by a Canadian company in West Africa. All aspects of the shoe production are carried out in Liberia and Ethiopia. The Canadian company masterminding them is working with small communities to develop their business sense and provide jobs and skills training.
These are countries that have suffered through decades of civil unrest and injustices. Oliberte wants to draw attention to the continent's “pride, power and liberty”. They claim to be the first international footwear producer to work exclusively in Africa.
...
Scarpa, a prestigious Italian footwear company, make some of the most popular plastic telemark and alpine touring ski boots on the planet. And in recent times they’ve decided to also look after that planet a tad more.
For they’re making some of their iconic ski boots from Pebax Rnew, a plastic derived from castor oil. This renewable material extracted from the oil rich seed (40% to 60% oil) of the castor oil plant, or Ricinus communis, has many positive industrial design qualities. (Over and above it’s much proclaimed medicinal properties.)
So much so that it is also finding it’s way into running shoes and sunglasses, which we delve into after the fold....
END Footwear, purveyor of Environmentally Neutral Designed trail and running shoes, is to be no more.
On Friday last, we learnt via SNEWS, that the company’s new owner -- as of June 2009 -- LaCrosse Footwear announced its strategic decision to discontinue END Footwear (Environmentally Neutral Design) as a standalone outdoor and running brand. plans to “leverage the END platform of innovative lightweight designs into the LaCrosse and Danner product lines and distribution channels for Fall 2010.”...
For four years now we've been following Patagonia Footwear as they strive to apply their business mantra of "Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis" to the art of shoemaking.
Now we've been invited to join Patagonia Footwear as they accept a challenge from Backpacker Magazine to build a backpacking boot with the least environmental impact, as part of the mag's "Zero Impact Challenge." TreeHugger will be tagging along as Patagonia transparently reveal the good, the bad, and the ugly of the entire design process. Read below about this will all come together....
Photo from blog.sierratradingpost.comMontrail is best known for their non-urban premier trail running and hiking footwear for outdoor athletes. The website is definitely geared toward the more granola-type of greenie. But that shouldn’t discourage you from using the shoe for both on- and off-roading. Their approach to sneakers is anytime but hippie-dippie. ...
Image via: Green Living ProjectLove your KEENs? Well now your KEENs can show some love back by offering one lucky person the chance to take a trip to South Africa to explore and help out with a local animal shelter. Lions, Tigers, Bears, Oh My. Well, not those kinds of animals. Here's how you can enter to win: ...
The other week I was sitting in a medical waiting room reading, as you do, a copy of Reader Digest. There was an intriguing article about Jackie Heinricher, her Booshoot company, and the plan to bring large scale bamboo cultivation to North America. At the time I thought I should follow up on that story.
So I was very surprised to come home and find in my email inbox a missive regarding outdoor sock company Bridgedale’s connection with Booshoot and their Plant A Boo campaign. It seems once upon a time the US had 5 million acres of bamboo under crop. The Plant A Boo project is looking to reinvigorate this swift growing grass as a domestically available resource for furniture, flooring and textiles....
Photo: PRNewsFoto/Brooks Sports, Inc
You a runner? Or an exercise-oholic? And you want your workouts to reflect your green lifestyle? Well, the race is ON…or at least for me and a few friends to find the best performing green running equipment. Since February of this year (2009), I’ve made it my personal mission to seek out the most excellent green products in the running world as I train for my first marathon in November. Most people think running is a simple sport in which all that is needed is a good pair of shoes to be active. Nothing could be farther from the truth. ...
Image via: Hi-Tec
If you've ever been hiking and stepped down to hear that splash and felt that momentary "oh crap" spasm when you realize you're about spend the rest of your hike walking around in waterlogged boots, only to realize that they're waterproof, (Hooray!), then you can appreciate the value of a good set of waterproofed boots. Well, Hi-Tec shoes has come up with a new space-aged technology that now makes even the environmental footprint of waterproofing something to cheer about. (Hip Hip Hooray!)...
The Making of Reef NWS Sandals. Clip via Youtube.
If your company is in charge of making new products every season, and sometimes even between seasons, what do you, as a responsible company, do when you realize that every day the average American creates 4 pounds of trash and you're contributing to it? You turn the finger back on yourself and aim to at least minimize or eliminate your waste. The NWS Sandal by REEF is a demonstration of that very principle. ...
Lurking amongst Levi’s new Red Tab footwear collection is their Reused Jean Shoe. Basically a Converse style sneaker styled around “pre-loved authentic Levi's jeans.” Apparently it takes a couple of pairs to make a pair, with many of the components of the famous pants being incorporated into the shoes, from coin-pocket, yellow stitching, belt loops to the fly stud button. Each pair is said to be unique.
We aren’t sure where they come by the used jeans, but maybe we do know one possible place where they may just have sourced them. ...
We recently made mention of outdoor footwear company, Merrell, and their continuing campaign to get folk outside, in that instance to the Rothbury festival in July 09. Well, now they are at it again. This time teaming up with the US National Park Foundation (NPF), who Merrell say are an ideal partner with a shared passion. “ ... our shared goal is to work together on a long term basis to educate and motivate people of all ages and activity levels to get outside and play in our national outdoor playgrounds.”
How will they achieve this?...
We only started writing about END Footwear a year ago. They didn’t even have retail product at that stage. Their Environmentally Neutral Design(ed) running shoes and boots eventually debuted in August 2008. Now they’ve just announced the company has been purchased by another Oregon based footwear company LaCrosse (who already own the Danner brand). ...
Image via: Autonomie Project
While not as true as it once was, eco-friendly and fair trade clothing often still lacks that special something. The Autonomie Project is out to prove that idea wrong by providing sustainable, fair trade clothing and accessories that have style and supports the local communities where they are made. ...
Image via: Camper
Needless to say eco shoes have improved by leaps and bounds over the years. This spring, shoe company Camper & designer Bernhard Willhelm are launching their ready to wear Eco shoe line, made with recycled fibers & tire tread soles, as well as, "refurbished" leather and wood. Sounds sort of crunchy? Well, they're not.
More images after the jump....
We'll be working on better category archives soon. In the meantime, take a look at the weekly archive if you really want to dig around, or use the search box at the top of the page.
on 10.31.09
Image via: 
House of Organic Spring 2010 Collection at the Green Shows during New York Fashion Week. Credit Meaghan O'Neill
House of Organic's Spring/Summer 2010 collections at the Green Shows -- the place to be for style-minded greenies during New York Fashion Week -- featured designs by 
Patagonia Footwear continue the open dialogue about their participation in 
Images via Po-Zu
How can a pair of Wellington boots save the rainforest I hear you ask? Well let me tell you about 
Image from oliberte
Here are some new sneakers that look good and are about more than just fashion. They are made with a social conscience by a Canadian company in West Africa. All aspects of the shoe production are carried out in Liberia and Ethiopia. The Canadian company masterminding them is working with small communities to develop their business sense and provide jobs and skills training.
These are countries that have suffered through decades of civil unrest and injustices. Oliberte wants to draw attention to the continent's “pride, power and liberty”. They claim to be the first international footwear producer to work exclusively in Africa.
...
END Footwear, purveyor of Environmentally Neutral Designed trail and running shoes, is to be no more.
On Friday last, we learnt via 
For four years now we've been following 
Photo from blog.sierratradingpost.com
Image via: 
The other week I was sitting in a medical waiting room reading, as you do, a copy of Reader Digest. There was an intriguing article about Jackie Heinricher, her Booshoot company, and the plan to bring large scale bamboo cultivation to North America. At the time I thought I should follow up on that story.
So I was very surprised to come home and find in my email inbox a missive regarding outdoor sock company Bridgedale’s connection with Booshoot and their Plant A Boo campaign. It seems once upon a time the US had 5 million acres of bamboo under crop. The 
Photo: PRNewsFoto/Brooks Sports, Inc
You a 
Image via: 
Lurking amongst Levi’s new Red Tab footwear collection is their Reused Jean Shoe. Basically a Converse style sneaker styled around “pre-loved authentic Levi's jeans.” Apparently it takes a couple of pairs to make a pair, with many of the components of the famous pants being incorporated into the shoes, from coin-pocket, yellow stitching, belt loops to the fly stud button. Each pair is said to be unique.
We aren’t sure where they come by the used jeans, but maybe we do know one possible place where they may just have sourced them. ...
We recently made mention of outdoor footwear company, Merrell, and their continuing campaign to get folk outside, in that instance to the 
Photo from 
We only started writing about END Footwear a year ago. They didn’t even have retail product at that stage. Their Environmentally Neutral Design(ed) running shoes and boots eventually debuted in August 2008. Now they’ve just announced the company has been purchased by another Oregon based footwear company 
Image via: 
Image via: 
