Feelgood Style

Last year we shared our admiration for Brazilian shoe maker Melissa and the evolution of their footwear designs and this year their recycled plastic shoes never looked so good!

“The environmentally sensitive sandal is ethically made in Brazil in a closed loop system so there is no waste. The Gladiator is made from recycled MEFLEX plastic and provides amazing comfort for your battle weary feet.” Read the rest of this entry »

Terra Plana is an interesting blend of what many would call ethical footwear.

The Terra Plana Ethical Policy states:

Inspired by ecological survival, Terra Plana believes in a variety of non-generic products and sustainable strategies. Guided by life cycle analysis, Terra Plana aims towards publishing accurate life cycle matrices for every product we produce. Reparability, lightness, anatomic design, and durability are all staples of sustainable shoe making. We at Terra Plana regularly re-evaluate what we can do to minimize waste and toxin use and maximize product use and love

Terra Plana has received international acclaim for their craftsmanship in publications like Vouge Italia (shown above) and also here on Feel Good Style in“Reason number one not to go barefoot this summer” we shared that: Read the rest of this entry »

These vegan Do-Ni Nobilia ballerinas are enchanted magic slippers that are :

designed by two seasoned vegetarian shoe designers.

fair-trade, handmade in Portugal by artisans

constructed of water-based glues, French ribbons and low-solvent Italian pleather, recycled insole boards.

created for comfort with an elasticized band at the edges, padded insole for a perfect form-fit.

Do-Ni saves on brick ad mortar retail costs and virtually sells direct, then donates to charities you choose like Best Friends Animal Society, Medicines Global, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and 100% of proceeds are donated to participating non-profit organizations. Read the rest of this entry »

A few weeks ago, while engaged in my daily blog perusal, I came across these shoes on ecofabulous. I think I may have started to drool. I wished that some day, should the shoe gods smile upon me, I would get to try them on, perhaps on my next trip to one of the coasts. Imagine my surprise and delight, then, when I found them at Shu Global Footwear, just up the road in St. Paul, MN! Obviously, I had to try them on (and a few other pairs from the line for good measure).

Before I talk about my shopping trip, I should let you know a bit about why these shoes, made by El Naturalista, are indeed eco-fabulous. Although they use leather, which will not impress vegans, the company engages in the highest standards of pro-environment business practices. They use natural materials and dyes, including many that are biodegradable and recycled/recyclable. They use the least amount of chemicals possible to treat the leather, and on top of all of that, they fund the building of schools and other resources for children in Peru.

And then there’s the whole part about how they feel on your feet.

Read the rest of this entry »

Botas Dacca Boots made out of recycled plastic bags, are hot to trot.

They are made exclusively by a noted Chilean industrial design student named Camila Labra. The interiors are constructed to be comfortable and soft with a natural piqué and the green highlight is that the exteriors are made mostly of recycled plastic bags. Read the rest of this entry »

If the snow never fell and the temperature never dropped below forty in New England, I could happily wear ballet flats every work day and flip-flops every day between. But inevitably the first snowy morning arrives to find me ankle-deep in powder, melted ice trickling down my arches as I attempt to clear the snow from my windshield. I realize if I’m going to make it to May pneumonia-free I’m going to need something a lot more substantial–some winter boots.

A slick pair of boots looks current with a knee length a-line skirt, smart under dress pants and fierce over your dark wash skinny jeans. They’re the ticket to keeping your feet warm and protected without looking unprofessional or, worse, like you’ve given up. But who makes a cool-looking, leather-free sustainable pair?

Read the rest of this entry »

In celebration of their two year anniversary today, the ethical, environmentally conscience and eco fashionable Equita is offering a whopping 40% off all eco-fashion today and tomorrow only.  Its no secret that we’re all holding onto our wallets a little tighter these days and trying to plan for Christmas without overdoing it.  Now is the perfect time to take advantage of this great sale and cross some items off your list while you have a chance at a huge savings.  They carry eco-fashion brands FIN, EDUN, Stewart+Brown, Loyale, Autonomie, Del Forte Denim, Perfectly Imperfect, Loomstate, Ecoist, Vega, Tom’s Shoes, Josh Jakus and more.  Read the rest of this entry »

Simple Shoes such as the fuzzy ones shown above, are not only super cute they are made out of smart materials:

The shoe image courtesy of Simple shoes, is an adorable design! Now there are more ways than ever to measure our eco footprints, and with footwear no less! Did you know you can recycle shoes? Nike has also recently started a shoe recycling campaign. With large retailers on board, Read the rest of this entry »

We all have old shoes lying around the house, no longer suitable for athletic activity, but seemingly too decent to be sent to a growing landfill. Now you can recycle your athletic shoes with the Nike Reuse-A-Shoe program and they could become a basketball court, track, field, playground, or consumer product.

Read the rest of this entry »

Just today, Payless ShoeSource announced plans to launch the first-ever affordable green footwear line expected in stores early next year.  They’ve also signed an agreement with Summer Rayne Oakes, Discovery Network’s Planet Green fashion and beauty expert, author of Style, Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Fashion & Beauty, and model for many eco-fashion labels and was recently named “One Gorgeous Environmental Activist” by Allure Magazine, to serve as the green footwear brand’s Eco Consultant. Read the rest of this entry »