BuyGreen: Men's Casual Shoes
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.18.07
TreeHugger is the first to admit that we can't happily shop our way to global sustainability, but when your favorite pair of kicks finally wear through, you can't go shuffling around the streets with newspaper tied around your ankles. We all gotta have shoes, not just for working (that's another post) but for hanging out, weekends and casual affairs; this guide is designed to help you find a new favorite pair for around the house, happy hours and just kicking back and relaxing.
Here, you'll find shoes inspired by basketball and volleyball classics, some made for skateboarding (it's okay if you don't skate while your wear them, though) and a pair crafted from a whopping 99% recycled materials; in short, something for everyone, and not a stitch of hippie-wear in sight. Whatever you need "casual" for, you'll find something for every style and budget; hit the jump to get started.
What: Chuck Taylor All-Star by Converse
Where: Converse.com and Amazon.com
Why: Hemp upper instead of canvas
How much: $49.98
Nice: "hemp" tag on the back shows you're classic sensibility mixes well with green ideals.
More: Converse and TreeHugger
What: Aqua by Terra Plana
Where: terraplana.com
Why: Vegetable tanned leathers, recycled materials, pure latex soling materials, recycled rubber soles and recycled foam foot beds
How much: £70
Nice: Employs "VivoBarefoot," a design based on the simple principle that being barefoot is the healthiest way for you and your feet to be; also available in brown and black.
More: Terra Plana and TreeHugger
What: Volley by Veja
Where: Veja stockists
Why: Organic cotton, wild Amazonian latex, vegetable-tanned leathers
How much: $125
Nice: Design inspired by the Brazilian volleyball team from the 1970s
More: Veja and TreeHugger
What: Bike by Worn Again
Where: terraplana.com
Why: 99% recycled materials
How much: £69
Nice: 99% recycled materials. 'Nuff said.
More: Worn Again and TreeHugger
What: Watson by iPath
Where: ipath.com
Why: Hemp upper instead of canvas
How much: $79.95
Nice: Versatile design good for sessions or just kickin' it
More: iPath and TreeHugger, again.
For more tips on keeping your clothes' footprint light, check out TreeHugger's How to Green Your Wardrobe guide. Stay tuned for more BuyGreen Guides for men & women's apparel, your home & interiors and much more.
hmm-- is converse still owned by nike?
how about http://nosweatapparel.com/ ?
Instead of Nike owned converse - try No Sweat look-a-likes!
http://nosweatapparel.com/
Made it into a poll (my name is the link). I like the Veja best, and I don't understand why Converse, which is now owned by Nike, is doing in such a respectable list.
Check out these shoes from Etnies as well..
http://etnies.com/seed/collection/
...scroll down for the shoes. Made from natural materials and I believe Etnies uses non toxic glues in their entire shoe line as well.
What about Simple? They have several offerings that are made from recycled materials (rubber, etc).
www.simpleshoes.com
great article. linked up. but what about Simple's nice slip-on eco sneaks (they run ads on TH). just a thought.
how bout black spot shoes? they rock
I just got some Simples and they're great - comfortable, attractive, and I'm getting tons of attention from them!
WHAT?!?!?! Converse is owned by Nike! I can't believe they are endorsed by TH.
Try these instead, from No Sweat Apparel:
http://www.nosweatapparel.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=5005&Category_Code=NSS&Product_Count=3
WHAT?!?! Converse is owned by Nike! I can't believe TH would endorse them...simply irresponsible.
The No Sweat sneaks listed by other commenters are awesome, and it's a great company.
I bou8ght No Sweat look-alikes back in December. Feel better -morally and literally - than Chucks.
Converse/Nike's should not be on the list. Period. Why hasn't the entry been appended?
It's a wide open hole in the market: Environmentally responsible footwear that looks modern and stylish.
Here are the problems with what is offered:
Recycled materials? It still turns into trash when you're done. Biodegradable is a must.
Naturally dyed leather or reused leather? We need to shift to more plant based culture. Becoming vegetarian reduces your carbon footprint more than switching to a hybrid vehicle. Promote plants by wearing them.
Everything I see either looks like a three fingered lumberjack made it while he was strung out on jumberjack juice, or was copied from early nineties shunky skater shoes, or copied from "old man shoe" design.
Only Simple even attempts anything resembling style, and still falls short of anything that could be called sharp or modern. You companies are the future, get creative. Hell, rip off cool designs, but please stop making these bland drab shoes that look like they were made by chimps and emergency air dropped by the red cross in the 1920s.
I want to promote green living, but I also want to get laid.
As an update to my harsh take on the green footwear market, I purchased a pair of Ecolution Evergreens from rawganique.com. I wanted to buy the Simple Toemorrow, but they are made in China. I boycott China because of global warming and their lack of emissions regulations, and because of what is now being called a prima facie case of genocide in Tibet, and the Chinese support of Sudan for their Genocide in Darfur.
Ecolution makes their stuff in Romania, and their website goes much more detail about their dedication to environmentally friendly manufacturing processes. I found their style to be slightly more boring and conventional than the Simples, but at the same time they look sharper and more professional. I still would love a company to make something that looked new, euro inspired, sporty, urban, with a developed sole and cushioning that was made from green materials, in a green way in a country that is working towards a sustainable future.
what about patagonia? they've been using organic, recycled and different earth safe materials for years. the greenest outdoors company i can think of
I just bought the Veja trainers on http://www.adili.co.uk.
Awesome, and so hip in London !!! Lots of nice ethical clothes too...
What about simple brand? I thought they were made from mostly if not all recycled material.
What about dress shoes? Can anyone recommend eco-friendly shoes that are not sneakers?
check out South African brand g-mo Footwear (grandt mason origninals) Animal friendly and aiming towards a completely environmentally friendly product - use alot of hemp and recycled fabrics and have recently designed a ballet pump called the 'mohawk' using no silicone or stiffener (all the structure of the shoe is in the design) making it even more environmentally friendly!very very cool!!!