sneakers

Doing good is definitely the new chic. To be more precise, sustainability is on the minds of many brands these days —  H&M just released its first sustainable, organic collection, but before the massive chains jumped onto the environmental bandwagon, Simple Shoes was already pioneering green shoes with its dedication to using recycled and organic materials. The plastic it uses is from the water bottles you thoughtfully left in recycle bins, the squishy touch insoles in some Simple styles are from used carpet padding, and even their shoe boxes find their origins in recycled paper. To take a step further, Simple Shoes’ latest development is making biodegradable shoes: while normal shoes might take over a thousand years to degrade in landfills (incredible, right?), the brand’s new technology turns your abandoned Simple Shoes into nothing in twenty years.

All this talk of sustainability might be making you think plain or utilitarian rather than chic or cute, but Simple Shoes knows the true meaning of eco-chic. Their sneakers come in bright, contrasting colors for those of you looking for a pair that can spice up an outfit and pull you through a long trek. For Fall 2010, Simple Shoes released its Take On Ribbon shoes (picture above), which feature soles made from recycled car tires and ribbon laces made from…recycled soda bottles! Comfortable, chic and sustainable, Simple Shoes makes you feel good in every single way.

Julia and I both put our Green Toes into Simple Shoes (excuse the corniness…). They were truly comfortable and – before the rain became depressing – perfect for spring!

– Justina Lee

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