Ecouterre » Eco-Friendly Shoes

Ben Affleck Designs TOMS Shoes to Benefit Eastern Congo Initiative

Jasmin Malik Chua — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:00:39 +0000

From Oscar-winning director to…shoe designer? Ben Affleck has teamed up with the do-gooders at TOMS to create series of African-textile-inspired kicks that benefit the Eastern Congo Initiative. Founded by the actor-filmmaker in 2010, the organization is the first U.S.-based advocacy and grant-making initiative “wholly focused” on working with and for the people of that region. The designs are available in three styles: two for men and one for women. And besides TOMS’ usual “one for one” policy, $5 from the purchase of each limited-edition pair will help fund ECI’s programs for youth and families in eastern Congo. “Getting involved in something, helping others, improving the fabric of the universe,” Affleck says in a statement. “I believe if you do that, even just a little bit, I think you’ll find your life gets better, too.”

+ TOMS x Eastern Congo Initiative $59-$79

Help Krže Studio Kickstart Its Luxury Vegan Footwear Collection

Helen Morgan — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:00:16 +0000

Read the rest of Help Krže Studio Kickstart Its Luxury Vegan Footwear Collection

Google, Adidas Create “Talking” Sneaker That Nags You Into Exercising

Bridgette Meinhold — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 20:00:42 +0000

Forget Google Glass; the tech giant is in the footwear business now. Or at least it was at the SXSW series of film, interactive, and music festivals in Austin on Monday. Together with Adidas, the technology giant unveiled its concept “Talking Shoe,” a smart sneaker designed to get people off the couch and exercising. But Google didn’t just see fit to give the shoe the usual moving parts (an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a pressure sensor, Bluetooth connectivity). The sneaker also boasts a personality, one that is alternatively cheering and jeering depending on your level of activity.

Read the rest of Google, Adidas Create “Talking” Sneaker That Nags You Into Exercising

Charlize Theron, TOMS Team Up to Keep African Youth Safe From HIV

Jasmin Malik Chua — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 21:00:30 +0000

Charlize Theron is putting her own spin on TOMS’s signature alpargata. The Oscar-winning actress has teamed up with the social enterprise to create a limited edition of shoes to benefit the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, a nonprofit Theron founded in 2007 to support African youth in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Available in women’s and kids’ sizes, the orange kicks feature an embroidered version of CTAOP’s sun-shaped logo, plus the organization’s motto, “Reach Out, Think Beyond, and Look Within.”

THIS WEEK IN ECOUTERRE: Charlize Theron Wears Dress Made With Beetle Wings in “Snow White and the Huntsman”

Read the rest of Charlize Theron, TOMS Team Up to Keep African Youth Safe From HIV

Nike Debuts First Football Cleat Built Using 3D-Printing Technology

Jasmin Malik Chua — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:00:14 +0000

Nike made history on Sunday when it debuted the first-ever football cleat built using rapid-prototyping technology. Weighing no more than 5.6 ounces, the “Vapor Laser Talon” boasts a contoured three-dimensionally printed plate designed to provide optimal traction, as well as help football athletes maintain their “drive stance” longer and more effectively, according to the sportswear giant.

Read the rest of Nike Debuts First Football Cleat Built Using 3D-Printing Technology

Iverson’s Wooden Snowshoes Are Handmade in the United States

Jasmin Malik Chua — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 19:00:59 +0000

When it comes to American-made wooden snowshoes, Iverson has the market cornered. That’s because the Michigan-based company is one of the few remaining wooden-shoe manufacturers in the United States. Each snowshoe is completely crafted by hand in the tiny town of Shingleton (population: 309), where 400 inches of snowfall during winter isn’t uncommon. From start to finish, the process of making a single pair of shoes takes 20 steps, beginning with the preparation of locally harvested white ash.

Read the rest of Iverson’s Wooden Snowshoes Are Handmade in the United States

Nike’s “LeBron X” Basketball Shoe Features Genuine Cork

Jasmin Malik Chua — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 20:00:18 +0000

Nike’s latest offering is worth popping the bubbly for. The special-edition “Lebron X” shoe features an upper composed of 100 percent genuine cork, a regenerative material stripped from the bark of the cork oak every nine years. A tribute to Miami Heat basketball player LeBron James, who signed with the sportswear giant 10 years ago (hence the “X”), along with his first championship win in June, the shoe “honors the tradition of cork-popping champagne celebrations,” according to the company. It’s expected to debut in February 23 as a run-up to what Nike promises to be a year of “additional basketball footwear surprises.”

+ LeBron X

+ Nike

Anne Hathaway Wore Custom-Made Vegan Shoes for “Les Miserables” Role

Jasmin Malik Chua — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 16:00:29 +0000

Anne Hathaway made bigger headlines for what she didn’t wear on the Les Miserables red carpet in New York City that what she did, so we weren’t surprised that her bondage-style gladiator heels warranted only a secondary mention. But the Oscar-nominated actress’s wardrobe malfunction buried another lede: Hathaway’s recent conversion to veganism, and the fact she had designer Tom Ford custom-make said shoes in faux-leather.

Read the rest of Anne Hathaway Wore Custom-Made Vegan Shoes for “Les Miserables” Role

L.L. Bean, Woolrich Collaborate on Made-in-Maine Footwear, Bag Collection

Jasmin Malik Chua — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 13:00:38 +0000

As far as homegrown retailers go, few have cultivated that aura of all-American authenticity more fervently than L.L. Bean, which began in 1912 as a mail-order business in Greenwood, Maine. Yet with the exception of its duck boot, boat tote, and the odd kayak paddle or two, which the company continues to produce in the Pine State, its once-venerable catalog has mostly succumbed to the deluge of Asian and South American imports. Still, the Beanster might be contemplating a return to form. Together with Woolrich Woolen Mills, L.L. Bean has launched a capsule collection of bags and boots under its higher-end “Signature” label. Clad in winter-ready ombre wool plaid, the tote, pouch, and 10-to-16-inch boots are made in Maine, just like our grandparents remember. Maybe you can teach an old dog old tricks, after all.

+ L.L. Bean x Woolrich $49-$199

Fantich and Young’s “Apex Predator” Shoes Are Made With Human Dentures

Mike Chino — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 21:00:18 +0000

Looking for a pair of shoes to complete your creepy Halloween costume? Fantich and Young just carved their way into our darkest nightmares with a pair of black balmorals soled with toothy treads made from hundreds of fake human teeth. We think its “Apex Predator” shoes are just about the creepiest things we’ve seen on two heels, but hey, if you’re into sporting denture couture, it’s unlikely anyone will try to “bite” your style.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Read the rest of Fantich and Young’s “Apex Predator” Shoes Are Made With Human Dentures

Matt Bernson Repurposes EDUN’s African Textiles Into Camo-Print Shoes

Jasmin Malik Chua — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 22:00:55 +0000

A good find is a terrible thing to waste. Thank the fashion gods, then, that EDUN didn’t chuck its leftover Spring/Summer 2013 fabrics into the trash heap. Instead, the socially conscious label hooked up with Matt Bernson to reimagine six of the shoemaker’s iconic styles with African tenting canvas, along with brushed-metal circle pulls made by artisans in Kenya’s Bombalulu workshop. Featuring ballet flats, smoking slippers, platform sandals, and woven wedges, the doubly cool collaboration merges EDUN’s rocker-chic aesthetic with Bernson’s handcrafted “downtown meets the beach” vibe. The line is expected to drop in stores sometime in March, with prices ranging from $165 to $235.

+ EDUN

+ Matt Bernson

Sole Footwear Finds New Use for Millions of Old Wine Corks

Lea Stewart — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 18:00:53 +0000

If you are in the market for new footwear, do your part in adding to the material chain of custody by sipping on a bottle of your favorite vintage! In a partnership with ReCork, a North American cork recycling initiative, Canadian footwear manufacturer Sole has used over 40 million corks to produce their superior ergonomic footbeds. The cork collection includes men’s and women’s sandals, but we are excited to learn that Sole will be adding boots, ballet flats, casual slip-ons and lace-up looks next fall.

Read the rest of Sole Footwear Finds New Use for Millions of Old Wine Corks

Lasso: A Flat-Pack Wool-Felt Slipper You Assemble Yourself

Jasmin Malik Chua — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:00:07 +0000

Gaspard Tiné-Berès’s “Lasso” house slipper is a shoe you assemble yourself. Made of a single piece of die-cut wool felt, the shoe is shipped flat with a single colored shoelace. Don’t worry if you were born all thumbs—even the least dextrous among us is capable of “stitching” up the seams using the laser-perforated notches as a guide. “The act of self-assembling the slippers increases the sense of ownership and emotional connection with them,” Tiné-Berès, whose work was on display at the Royal College of Art’s Design for the Real World exhibit at the London Design Festival in September. “[It also] allows for personalization through the choice of laces used,” he adds.

+ Lasso $30 at IndieGoGo

+ Gaspard Tiné-Berès

© Ecouterre, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us

Julia Skergeth Turns Heads (And Heels) With Stilettos Made With Rice

Jasmin Malik Chua — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:00:19 +0000

Just call Julia Skergeth a designer who goes against the grain. The Kingston University student turned the traditional stiletto on its head, after all, when she built a vertiginous heel using little more than rice, silicone, and bio-resin. Already, the towering footwear is turning heads—and heels. Unveiled during London Fashion Week in September, the concept won Skergeth at the prestigious Vauxhall Fashion Scout showcase—not bad for someone only in the first year of her postgraduate studies.

Read the rest of Julia Skergeth Turns Heads (And Heels) With Stilettos Made With Rice

Converse, Missoni Recycle Deadstock Fabrics Into One-of-a-Kind Sneakers

Jasmin Malik Chua — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 12:00:10 +0000

Read the rest of Converse, Missoni Recycle Deadstock Fabrics Into One-of-a-Kind Sneakers

Stella McCartney Introduces Biodegradable Soles for Fall/Winter 2012

Jasmin Malik Chua — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 21:00:53 +0000

Stella McCartney’s fall lineup of pumps and boots isn’t just kind to animals; it’s also gentle on the environment. First spotted on the Paris Fashion Week runways in February, the cruelty-free kicks feature soles made from Apinat, a biodegradable thermoplastic derived from natural—and renewable—raw materials. Each wedge of white provides a strong contrast to the faux-croc and pleather uppers, lending the shoes a sporty sneaker-pump vibe that should appeal to girly girls and tomboys alike.

+ Fall/Winter Shoes

+ Stella McCartney

Clae Debuts Vegan Versions of Popular “Bruce,” “Strayhorn” Sneakers

Jasmin Malik Chua — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 12:00:38 +0000

Spotted on the heels of A-listers like Tom Cruise and Jay-Z, Clae’s sneakers have ushered in a new era of “athleisure” footwear for men. For fall, the shoemaker is launching animal-friendly versions of its popular “Bruce”and “Strayhorn” styles. Available this month in limited quantities, the desert-boot-esque vegan Strayhorn marries semi-smooth, textured canvas with pleather accents to create a “sophisticated mid-top for the discerning gentleman,” according to Clae. The company will also reintroduce its Bruce lace-up in three cruelty-free colorways: blue chambray, black denim, and oatmeal denim.

+ Strayhorn (in Tan Canvas) $95; Bruce (in Blue Chambray, Black Denim, or Oatmeal Denim) $65

+ Clae

TOMS’s Vegan-Friendly “Shark” Shoe Supports Marine Conservation

Jasmin Malik Chua — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 21:00:29 +0000

Gear up for “Shark Week” in style on August 12 with the appropriate footwear. TOMS’s new, vegan-friendy “Shark” slip-on, a collaboration with the University of Miami’s R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program, features silhouettes of the carnivorous—and threatened—beastie on the lining of each shoe. Proceeds from the sale of the shoes will go towards protecting sharks and their marine environment. And, like always, with every pair your purchase, TOMS will give a new pair of shoes to a disadvantaged child.

+ Shark Shoe $54

+ TOMS

Biometric Shoe Identifies Individuals by the Way They Walk

Bridgette Meinhold — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 17:00:08 +0000

Photo by Shutterstock

Forget fingerprinting, voice recognition, or even retinal scans. Access to high-security areas could soon hinge on the way you strut. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University’s new Pedo-Biometrics Lab are working to perfect a shoe insert that can help monitor access to nuclear power plants, military bases, and other critical infrastructure. Everyone has unique feet—and unique ways of walking. By using sensors to measure foot pressure and gait, the bio-sole’s microcomputer can compare patterns of movement with existing records. If the patterns line up, the insole becomes dormant. If they don’t, it sets off a wireless alarm.

Read the rest of Biometric Shoe Identifies Individuals by the Way They Walk

FEED, DKNY Collaborate on “Survival” Collection to Fight Global Hunger

Jasmin Malik Chua — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 19:00:38 +0000

Read the rest of FEED, DKNY Collaborate on “Survival” Collection to Fight Global Hunger

Dare To Go There: 6 Eco-Friendly Ways to Mix Neons With Prints

Alyssa Alimurung — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 17:50:28 +0000

We saw it all over the runways at last season’s Fashion Week: neon colors and prints; but what if you dared to pair these two trends together? Have no fear, it can totally be done. Remember fashion has no rules! We’ve put together a couple of on-trend neon & print-mixing looks from our favorite eco designers with some helpful tips for the daredevil in you willing to take the fashionable leap.

This content series is brought to you in partnership with smartwater. smartwater, good taste travels well. To learn more click here.

Read the rest of Dare To Go There: 6 Eco-Friendly Ways to Mix Neons With Prints

Fake-Out Fashion: Women Paint Their Soles Red to Get the Louboutin Look

Yuka Yoneda — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:00:51 +0000

Photo by Shutterstock

Why fork out $900 for a pair of Christian Louboutins when you can whip up your own red-soled kicks with a $3 tester pot of paint? That’s the question many savvy—and cash-strapped—Brits have arrived at, according to a U.K. home-improvement retailer. Not only have sales of Duracoat’s “Flame” and “Show Stopper” increased by 40 percent compared with the year before, claims Homebase, but the uptick is the result of women cribbing the French shoemaker’s signature red soles. Will the mini-movement make its way across the Atlantic? Lowe’s and Home Depot, you have been warned.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Read the rest of Fake-Out Fashion: Women Paint Their Soles Red to Get the Louboutin Look

Are Flip-Flops Bad for Your Feet?

Jasmin Malik Chua — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 12:00:44 +0000

Photo by Shutterstock

Flip-flops may be your go-to footwear this summer, but experts warn that they could cause a world of pain if you wear them for long periods of time, while walking on concrete, or when playing sports. Flip-flops don’t just offer limited arch support and shock absorption for our feet, they also change they way we walk. Because we tend to grip the flimsy shoe bed with our toes to keep them in place, we can cause undue strain to calf muscles or pinch a nerve in our hips and back, according to orthopedic doctors at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

Read the rest of Are Flip-Flops Bad for Your Feet?

Suno’s Upcycled-Fabric Sneakers Benefit Wildlife Conservation in Kenya

Jasmin Malik Chua — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 20:00:32 +0000

Shout hallelujah because Suno’s getting happy again with a fresh crop of sneakers in six zesty new prints. Ethically crafted in Kenya from fabric offcuts and recycled rubber, the multihued canvas lace-ups and slip-ons feature kaleidoscopic florals, madras plaids, and nubby stripes from the label’s past collections. Plus, each shoe comes with a drawstring bag made from Suno’s signature kanga fabrics. Need another reason? Fifteen percent of each purchase benefits the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, a Kenyan reserve devoted to protecting endangered elephants and rhinos.

+ Sneakers $65

+ Suno

[Via Refinery29]

Tune Up Your Stride on Land or by Sea With Merrell’s Barefoot Footwear

Ecouterre — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 12:00:27 +0000

Read the rest of Tune Up Your Stride on Land or by Sea With Merrell’s Barefoot Footwear

Ecouterre » Eco-Friendly Shoes

Ben Affleck Designs TOMS Shoes to Benefit Eastern Congo Initiative

+ TOMS x Eastern Congo Initiative $59-$79

Help Krže Studio Kickstart Its Luxury Vegan Footwear Collection

Google, Adidas Create “Talking” Sneaker That Nags You Into Exercising

Charlize Theron, TOMS Team Up to Keep African Youth Safe From HIV

THIS WEEK IN ECOUTERRE: Charlize Theron Wears Dress Made With Beetle Wings in “Snow White and the Huntsman”

Nike Debuts First Football Cleat Built Using 3D-Printing Technology

Iverson’s Wooden Snowshoes Are Handmade in the United States

Nike’s “LeBron X” Basketball Shoe Features Genuine Cork

+ LeBron X + Nike

Anne Hathaway Wore Custom-Made Vegan Shoes for “Les Miserables” Role

L.L. Bean, Woolrich Collaborate on Made-in-Maine Footwear, Bag Collection

+ L.L. Bean x Woolrich $49-$199

Fantich and Young’s “Apex Predator” Shoes Are Made With Human Dentures

Matt Bernson Repurposes EDUN’s African Textiles Into Camo-Print Shoes

+ EDUN + Matt Bernson

Sole Footwear Finds New Use for Millions of Old Wine Corks

Lasso: A Flat-Pack Wool-Felt Slipper You Assemble Yourself

+ Lasso $30 at IndieGoGo + Gaspard Tiné-Berès © Ecouterre, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us

Julia Skergeth Turns Heads (And Heels) With Stilettos Made With Rice

Converse, Missoni Recycle Deadstock Fabrics Into One-of-a-Kind Sneakers

Stella McCartney Introduces Biodegradable Soles for Fall/Winter 2012

+ Fall/Winter Shoes + Stella McCartney

Clae Debuts Vegan Versions of Popular “Bruce,” “Strayhorn” Sneakers

+ Strayhorn (in Tan Canvas) $95; Bruce (in Blue Chambray, Black Denim, or Oatmeal Denim) $65 + Clae

TOMS’s Vegan-Friendly “Shark” Shoe Supports Marine Conservation

+ Shark Shoe $54 + TOMS

Biometric Shoe Identifies Individuals by the Way They Walk

FEED, DKNY Collaborate on “Survival” Collection to Fight Global Hunger

Dare To Go There: 6 Eco-Friendly Ways to Mix Neons With Prints

Fake-Out Fashion: Women Paint Their Soles Red to Get the Louboutin Look

Are Flip-Flops Bad for Your Feet?

Suno’s Upcycled-Fabric Sneakers Benefit Wildlife Conservation in Kenya

+ Sneakers $65 + Suno

Tune Up Your Stride on Land or by Sea With Merrell’s Barefoot Footwear

+ LeBron X

+ Nike

+ EDUN

+ Matt Bernson

+ Lasso $30 at IndieGoGo

+ Gaspard Tiné-Berès

© Ecouterre, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us

+ Fall/Winter Shoes

+ Stella McCartney

+ Strayhorn (in Tan Canvas) $95; Bruce (in Blue Chambray, Black Denim, or Oatmeal Denim) $65

+ Clae

+ Shark Shoe $54

+ TOMS

+ Sneakers $65

+ Suno