Sole searching : Shoes to make your closet more eco-friendly. Are you a conscious human ?
Designing for the environment, also known as eco-design, organic or sustainable design contributing to the eco system, involves creating products, buildings, and systems that minimize negative environmental impacts and promote sustainability.
If you’re trying to live a more eco-friendly life, there are plenty of things you can do. From composting food scraps to cutting out paper towels and plastic bags, every little sustainable switch you make helps the planet. If you’re searching for another way to be green, look no further than your closet.
You might be surprised to learn. “Most shoes are a sandwich of environmentally harmful materials held together with toxic glues that last forever, and never go away.
Think of Eco shoes, the shoes that are designed and manufactured with an emphasis on environmental sustainability. These shoes are made from sustainable and natural materials, such as recycled materials, organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, and other environmentally friendly materials.
The production of eco shoes is focused on reducing the environmental impact of the manufacturing process, such as reducing water and energy consumption, minimizing waste, and using eco-friendly dyes and finishes.
Synthetic rubber, EVA foam, plastic, leather and a bevy of harsh chemicals are commonplace in the shoe industry, which is why finding new kicks made from sustainable materials is incredibly important. “Some eco-friendly footwear materials include [recyclable] or recycled content (which cuts down on virgin resource usage), as well as biodegradable or renewable content, whether it’s cotton canvas or natural rubber soles.
“Thousand Fell’s chic white sneakers are made from entirely biodegradable and recyclable materials and they take their old shoes back for recycling, giving shoppers a discount on their next pair.
Rothy’s is rooted in the belief that things can be done differently. “At Rothy’s, we transform recycled water bottles into our signature yarn, and pair the durable knit with algae-based foam, recycled TPU and other repurposed and natural materials to create products that are less harmful to the environment than traditional manufacturing materials.”
Rothy’s doesn’t stop its sustainability there. The outer soles are made from either carbon-free rubber or vegan leather. The inner sole is also created with recycled foam, this time out of bio-based castor oil and other recycled materials.
Veja is another shoe brand recommended and it’s transparent enough to show a full look at the company’s practices here on its own website. Labelling their company philosophy as a ‘project,’ Veja is not only a super-cute sneaker company, but they’re serious about knowing who grew the cotton, tapped the rubber and stitched your shoes together.
Overall, designing for the environment requires a holistic approach that considers the entire lifecycle of a product or system, and seeks to minimize negative environmental impacts while promoting sustainability.
