Ecouterre

Why walk when you can roll? For short-range commuters, technophile thrill-seekers, and the just plain lazy, Acton Inc. has invented a motorized skate that turns any sneaker into your own miniature Segway. Debuting on Tuesday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, “Spnkix” (pronounced “spin kicks”) is a reinforced nylon frame that straps onto your shoe, imbuing it with the ability to sally forth at up to 10 miles per hour—just a tick slower than its 2-foot-tall counterpart—without streaming a cloud of noxious emissions in its wake.

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As the wise (if fictional) Miranda Hobbes once noted after moving to Brooklyn and braving a very long commute, “You can take me out of Manhattan but you can’t take me out of my shoes.” Any woman who’s had to hoof it to and from work knows that slipping on a pair of heels can cause days of painful regret, not to mention disdain for that co-worker who breezes past your cubicle all day in her platform pumps. Enter Day2Night, a versatile shoe with five heel heights you can swap in or out at will.

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Timberland has created a hiking shoe so lightweight and flexible, you can zip it into itself for space-saving storage. Easier on the eye (and foot) than Crocs or flip-flops, the Men’s Radler Trail Camp weighs a mere 9 ounces, making it easy to clip to a carabiner …

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If you’re looking to put a little pep in your step this winter, and you’ve got a yen for helping wildlife, we’ve got the shoe for you. For a limited time, Suno will be offering a line of lace-ups and slip-ons in its trademark multihued prints. Fairly made in Kenya from fabric offcuts …

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Elettra Wiedemann for One Frickin Day, an organization that motivates individuals to give a day’s worth of salary or time to charitable projects around the world….

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You may have some hot stilettos in your closet, but nothing will make your winter wardrobe sizzle like the new “Volt” heated boot by Jambu. Each pair comes with its own on-board ignition switch, a heating plate that reaches up to 122º Fahrenheit, and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery for dual-source charging. With just one touch, you …

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People living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia have a tendency to wander off, slipping by even the most diligent of custodians. A new shoe, outfitted with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, however, promises some relief to the 15 million Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers in the United States alone. Designed by GTX, a company that specializes in miniaturized GPS devices, in partnership with footwear manufacturer Aetrex, the GPS shoe tracks its wearer’s movements in real time, alerting relevant personnel via smartphone whenever their charge drifts beyond the designated “safe zone.”

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Timberland is getting a little help from its friends—ex-Beatle Ringo Starr, to be precise. The shoemaker has announced the launch of “Canvas That Cares,” a new program to raise funds for charity through the auction of custom-designed Earthkeepers boots. The inaugural edition of 75 shoes will feature original “peace sign” artwork by Starr, along with a rare, personal signature from the notorious autograph-refuser. Clad in leather and Bionic canvas, derived in part from recycled plastic bottles, the boots are destined to become instant collectibles, particularly because they’re available in a single size: Starr’s own men’s size 8.

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BEYOND SKIN
Based in Brighton in the United Kingdom, Beyond Skin creates its faux-suede footwear using a microfiber called Dinamica, which is made in Italy from 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

+ Beyond Skin…

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Move over, ladies; TOMS has launched a limited-edition range of shoes to draw attention to cancers affecting men, specifically prostate cancer. The “Movember” movement, a mashup of “November” and the slang term for “mustache,” typically involves clean-shaven men sprouting facial hair over the course of 30 days to raise funds and awareness for men’s health. TOMS’s Movember collection, which includes Classic and Botas styles for men and women, features tiny embroidered “mo’s” designed to start conversations about an oft-neglected issue.

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A eco-friendly Manolo Blahnik shoe isn’t something we expected to see in our lifetime, but stranger things have happened. The luxury shoemaker, name-checked by Sarah Jessica Parker on Sex and the City, has teamed up with award-winning designer Marcia Patmos to create a collection of sandals for spring. Made from discarded tilapia skins, cork, and raffia, the two styles—a double-strap flat and a sophisticated open-toed pump—will be available in a combination of electric blue, black, ecru, and fluorescent yellow.

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DOWN TO EARTH
The latest addition to Timberland’s Earthkeepers line, the hardwearing plain-toe boot has a simple and unembellished profile that cleans up nicely for urban wear. Derived from leather from a Silver-rated tannery, the waterproof shoe features a 100 percent recycled PET lining made from plastic bottles, 100 percent recycled …

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FIT FOR A QUEEN
Handmade in Spain from faux cobalt suede—and embellished with a contrasting patent-pleather toe cap—Beyond Skin’s Victorian-inspired lace-up is as regal as it is cruelty-free.

+ Connie £197

+ Beyond Skin…

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Move over Sous-Vide, there’s a new way to put vacuum packing to creative use. Nike has unveiled a line of thermo-molded shoes without visible seams or stitching. Available just in time for your holiday wish list, the shoes will comprise three of Nike’s most iconic designs: the Air Force 1, Dunk, and Air Max 90. The sportswear giant’s “Vac Tech” technology uses a form of vacuum compression to create a unibody upper that’s said to be both durable and water-resistant. Hot on the LED heels of Marty McFly’s sneakers, the high-tech kicks present a fascinating glimpse into the future of shoe manufacturing.

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The Dutch label that invented a sneaker that sprouts flowers is gunning for another first: the world’s premier certified-biodegradable leather shoe. OAT’s new “Limited Skin” collection is a series of vividly hued high- and low-tops lined with organic-cotton fleece and soft pique cotton. The leathers, a product of Hulshof Royal Dutch Tanneries in Lichtenvoorde, are tanned using nontoxic agents and 100 percent biodegradable when you bury them underground.

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Think a pair of Reebok EasyTones is your secret to a shapelier posterior? Turns out, they do zilch for your leg and butt muscles, according to the Federal Trade Commission, which fined Reebok $25 million on Wednesday for deceptive advertising. But even if the sportswear manufacturer played you for a chump, take heart. You’re eligible for a refund either directly through the FTC or a court-approved class action lawsuit.

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“Luke, I am your sneaker.” Okay, so the Lucasian creation you see before you isn’t Darth Vader—it’s actually a Stormtrooper, for those of you non-Star Wars fanatics—but it does beckon you to the dark side…of upcycling, that is. Believe it or not, artist Freehand Profit crafted the incredibly spot-on replica out of Adidas sneakers!

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For a shoe that was issued in 1968, Puma’s classic suede sneaker has aged remarkably well. That’s not to say it couldn’t benefit from a more contemporary veneer, of course. The “Re-Suede,” which debuted on Friday, is a retooled version that comprises 100 percent recycled materials and a new outsole derived from rice husks. Compared with virgin materials, the synthetic Ultrasuede upper is said to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions by 80 percent. The Double R Rice Rubber outsole, which substitutes a portion of the latex content with a rice-husk filler, also saves fossil-fuel energy in manufacturing and agricultural resources, according to Puma.

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Before you ask, no, it doesn’t lace itself—not until 2015, anyway. Otherwise, the 2011 Nike Mag is an exact replica of the glowing sneaker Marty McFly wore in the 1989 hit movie Back to the Future II, right down to the luminescent Nike name on the strap and flashing LED-embedded soles. The sportswear giant released 1,500 pairs of the shoe for auction on eBay on Thursday, with all proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s disease research. “Together,” says Nike, “we can erase Parkinson’s disease from the space-time continuum.”

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Gucci may be known for luxe textiles and flashy cuts, but the Italian fashion house’s latest offering negotiates waterlogged sidewalks as well as it does the catwalk. The patent rubber moc, a modern update of the company’s classic bit loafer, eschews leather in favor of durable (and vegan!) rubber, making it the perfect shoe to pull on once summer flies the …

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