in Contests, Designers + Brands, Footwear

Modern Techniques and Materials Equate to Terra Plana Footwear

by Delia Montgomery May 25, 2009, 2:01 pm 258 Views

The three design concepts from Terra Plana are 21st Century Artisan, Recycled and Barefoot. In summary, the collections exude an understanding of classic shoe making, but with a passion for modern techniques and materials.

The company makes many different types of shoes, but the Terra Plana collection is the most traditional “green” and design students are paying close attention. Features to expect:

Light Weight -Essential for manufacturing and shipping, not to mention a load off your feet!
Flex -Flexibility to work and walk comfortably.
Vegetable Tanned -A natural alternative to Chrome tanning for beautiful colors.
Local Sourcing -Minimized transportation with local materials to manufacturing facilities.
Recycled -From old coats to parachutes, salvaged materials are incorporated into designs.

Pictured first is Doll Veg Tanned Leather, with kitten-heel height and a natural latex driving sole using vegetable tanned leather and recycled foam foot beds. The men’s Siegfried follows as a casual shoe with an adjustable Velcro® closure made from vegetable tanned leather. This shoe has a rubber sole made from recycled products for extra comfort and protection. A recycled mesh liner is infused into the upper to maintain a very nice secure fit.

Barefoot collections are primarily about healthy feet, which brought about two additional design concepts: Vivo Barefoot and Dopie. The benefits of going barefoot are interesting. Naked shoes for naked people is the Dopie description. It’s the most minimal and innovative footwear possible, designed by Matthew Harrison, yet focused on the overall footprint of manufacturing more than eco status of materials. Check out the site for illustrations.

Sales contacts and associates are across the globe. Retail operations are primarily in UK, New York, Austria, and Slovenia in central Europe.

This concludes my 2009 footwear series, but nominations for the Best Sustainable Footwear Designer in the Chic Eco contest poll are welcome until June. Check out the related posts and feel free to comment or send queries.

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Written by Delia Montgomery

I am Delia, d/b/a Chic Eco on www.ChicEco.com, and established myself as an eco fashion guru by learning "who makes what in the world of environmental fashion and design."

Enjoy reading some of my freelance writing about environmental design, fashion and art -- from both consumer and supplier perspectives. You may notice I focus most on individual eco designers, movers and shakers.

From sustainable fashion apparel to paint and flooring, discoveries are a rush. I get my kicks this way. I also offer sales representation of earth-friendly designed products for wholesale buyers. Retailers may take advantage of my services with factory-direct pricing. Spend less time sourcing and prevent green-washed purchases!

My other forte is connecting suppliers with business-to-business tools. Aspects of my business vary with consulting services while I'm proud to be the aide that embraces unique and innovative gigs.

I'm originally a Kentucky Blue Grass gal who relocated to Maui early 2006 and the tropical Puna District of Big Island, Hawaii late 2007. Walk the talk is my motto here.

Early 2009 I constructed a yurt home office in a semi-urban setting on a tiny lot. My water comes from the sky, contained in a catchment that's not likely to dry in this rain forest. The electric is designed for solar conversion. I grow about 30% of my food organically, compost, and recycle to the hilt. Permaculture with a full eco system is my gardening style.

In fact, gardening is my ultimate joy. I seek gigs like design, weeding and planting between other jobs. My love is Hawai'i which has more climate zones than any state. There are frequent earthquakes here, typically under a 3.0 magnitude, and I happen to dig the vibrations. It's a wonderful simple life in paradise. As I grow older and wiser, I become more and more grateful.