Swedish Hasbeens – EcoSalon

The Ultimate List of Sustainable Shoe Designers (From A-Z)

Amy DuFault and Johanna Bjork — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:16:20 +0000

A list of the current, top sustainable shoe designers.

Beyond Skin, Brighton, U.K.: Ethical, organic, vegan and vegetarian. Made in Alicante, Spain.

Bourgeois Boheme, London, U.K.: Animal-friendly, vegan, ethically sourced faux leather and natural materials.

Calleen Cordero, Los Angeles, CA: Handmade by artisans, vegetable-tanned leather.

Cholesburys, England:Hand made in England, over 60% of components are recycled or up cycled, low Co2 production and new leather (the sandal insole) is vegetable tanned.

Coclico, New York, NY: Vegetable-tanned leather, ethically made by artisans in Spain.

Cri de Coeur, New York, NY: Vegan, recycled plastics, biodegradable low-VOC eco-PU, organic cotton, hemp, reclaimed wood, ethically made.

Earth Sandals, Waltham, MA: “The original wellness shoe.”

ECCO, Denmark: Innovative materials, devoted to sustainable manufacturing.

Elizabeth Katzman, Detroit, MI: Cruelty-free, vegan, member of 1% For the Planet, donated portion of sales to animal-rights organizations.

El Naturalista, Spain: Made by artisans, vegetable tanned leather, recycled and natural rubber outsoles, recycled insoles, manufactured following a strict Eco-Policy.

Form & Fauna, Mill Valley, CA: Biodegradable synthetic, organic cotton, hemp, vintage fabrics, scrap wood heels, water-based glues, handcrafted in the USA.

Kailia, Italy/United States: Vegetarian, cruelty-free, water-based glues, polyurethane soles, vegetable-dyed linings, organic linen/cotton, recycled materials, handmade in small European family owned factories.

Love is Mighty, New York, NY: Vegan, crafted by indigenous artisans.

Melissa, Brazil: Designer collaborations, natural, recyclable plastic, socially and environmentally responsible company.

Mohop, Chicago, Illinois: Made in the USA, sustainably sourced woods and components.

Naya, St. Louis: Vegetable-tanned leathers and linings, natural or recycled content fabrics, water-based cements, boxes made with 80% recycled paper pulp, soy-based inks and water-based glue.

Neuaura, Manhattan, NY: Made from quality and, whenever possible, sustainable materials. In addition, a portion of Neuaura’s production is made at a sustainable factory in Brazil and every year the brand donates 5% of their annual net proceeds to charities that preserve and protect the environment.

Nina Z, New York, NY: Uses wood grown according to EU standards so that every step taken supports forest regeneration, tanned hides harvested from European cows raised according to the strictest EU standards, rubber soles made from recycled rubber.

Novacas, New York: Animal-friendly, environmentally-friendly, and worker-friendly products, 100% PVC-free, ethically manufactured in Portugal at worker-friendly factories according to labor standards set forth by the European Union.

OAT Shoes, The Netherlands: Biodegradable, grows flowers, all-natural non-toxic materials.

Olsen Haus, New York, Miami: Vegan, recycled and natural materials.

Osborn, Brooklyn, New York: Each shoe is hand made and woven by artisans in Guatemala, recycled and natural materials.

Patagonia, Ventura, California: Vegan, recycled materials, bluesign Standard, Common Threads Initiative, Our Common Water Campaign

Rachel Comey, New York, NY: Ethically hand-made in Peru.

Swedish Hasbeens, Sweden: Made with sustainable materials like vegetable tanned chrome-free leathers, natural rubber soles and real cork.

Terraplana, New York, NY: Made from environmentally sustainable materials like recycled rubber, vegetable tanned leathers, and recycled fabrics, artisan techniques fused with modern technology.

Did we miss someone? Email amy@ecosalon.com with your tip!

ALSO CHECK OUT:
The Ultimate List of Conscious Fashion Designers (From A-Z)

The Ultimate List of Sustainable Handbag Designers (From A-Z)

Top Image: Calleen Cordero

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7 Summer Wedges

Johanna Björk — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 19:04:17 +0000

Seven sustainably savvy wedge heels, perfect for wearing to all those outdoor summer parties.

Summer soirées are often held on lawns, which require that you choose your footwear wisely. Trust me, I’ve tried to wear pumps to BBQs, but those heels just sink right into the grass. Wedges are comfortable and won’t slide down into the grass, and they happen to be very on trend for summer as well. Here are seven of our sustainably savvy favorites.

1. Naya Eternal

This summer is all about happy, bright color. These wedge sandals from Naya have a super flattering shape and come in a range of delicious colors, including this mustardy yellow. The woven detailing on the heel makes them feel summery and special. Made from vegetable tanned leather.

$145, Planet Shoes

2. Cri de Coeur Nico in Black/Gold

If you’re in a happy disco-sort of mood, these open-toe cut-out booties are the perfect shoes for summer festivities. Inspired by Andy Warhol’s muse, the ‘Nico’ features contrasting metallic panels and a partially covered wedge. Handmade in Los Angeles from all vegan materials such as sustainable wood, ultra-suede made from recycled plastic, and eco-PU.

$380, Cri de Coeur

3. OlsenHaus Mrs Roper-Red Print

This fun summer shoe perfectly channels two of summer’s big trends: bright color and prints. It will look great with anything from a casual summer dress to a bikini. OlsenHaus shoes are always 100% vegan and manufactured according to Fair Trade and ethical business practices. These are made from faux suede, cork and printed cotton fabric.

$265, OlsenHaus

4. Marais Oxford Espadrille

Marais designers Catherine Chen and Haley Boyd design shoes that are fit for girls that spend a lot of time on the move. With this shoe, they’ve put a spin on a canvas oxford by adding an espadrille platform and side cut-outs. Featuring a comfortable 3-inch heel, an open toe, lace-up closure, and matching grosgrain trim around base, these espadrilles come in four basic, wearable colors.

$125, Marais

5. Calleen Cordero Maria Wedge

For a slight down-to-earth vibe, try these Maria wedges by Calleen Cordero. The nude color scheme makes them go with pretty much everything, making them an instant wardrobe staple. We love the wood heel, which is easy to walk in too, because of the platform in the front, and the solid brass buckle details give it some edge. Handcrafted in North Hollywood, California.

$459, Calleen Cordero

6. Rhino Wedge from Mink Shoes

These fun, yet highly wearable platform wedges feature a stacked bamboo heel and is made from recycled fabrics. Mink Shoes adheres to a strict policy of animal preservation, protection, and safeguarding in its designs. Each shoe is extremely unique and is offered in limited editions. We love the cute handmade bamboo charm on the ankle strap.

$430, Moo Shoes

7. Cork Wedge by Swedish Hasbeens

Inspired by vintage sports and great athletes of the past, these cork wedges from Swedish Hasbeens are made from naturally dyed leather and cork — which is a renewable material. They are a great way to subtly incorporate that sportswear trend into your summer wardrobe, but will look great with feminine dresses as well.

$211, Swedish Hasbeens

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On Trend: Red Hot Fall

Johanna Björk — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:03:36 +0000

Forget the muted tones, embrace fall in all its splendor.

It’s going to be a red hot fall, at least inside our closets. Red, in hues ranging from dark rust to neon-bright, is one of the hottest colors right now, and will also carry nicely into the spring. If you want to be really daring and on-trend, wear red from head to toe. You’ll be guaranteed to turn some heads.

We love this genius convertible dress, which will work double or triple duty as it transforms into different shapes. The ladylike handbag, poncho, fitted turtleneck, cable knit sweater, and flat boot are all key pieces for the fall. Being fashionable hasn’t been this comfy and cozy in a long time.

Clockwise, from top left:

J.Brand Mid-Rise Skinny Leg Jean in Bright Red
$176, jbrandjeans.com

Vintage Fire Engine Red Wool Poncho
$122.33, WoozWassVintage on Etsy.com

Matt & Nat Clint vegan suede handbag
$95, mattandnat.com

Cotton Turtleneck from American Apparel
$30, americanapparel.com

Shabd convertible Shoreline Dress in fire
$545, shabdismyname.com

Covet Cable Knit Sweater
$125, shopfuturestandard.com

Swedish Hasbeens Chelsea Unisex Boot
$408, swedishhasbeens.com

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EcoSalon at Stockholm Fashion Week: Swedish Hasbeens SS12

Johanna Björk — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:14:52 +0000

Swedish Hasbeens present their spring/summer ’12 collection inspired by olympian Wilma Rudolph.

Even if it wasn’t one of my favorite brands ever, I would have been deeply impressed by Swedish Hasbeens’ presentation of their spring/summer 2012 collection in Stockholm last week. The basement of a shady nightclub establishment located in one of the busiest traffic circles in the city had been transformed into a retro-style gym, complete with a wooden gym floor and old-school wood benches for seats.

The collection was presented by a team of gymnasts, performing routines while wearing the shoes. I found this slightly distracting but incredibly inspiring. If there’s one thing (except gorgeous shoes) that Swedish Hasbeens excel at it’s creating distinctly different retro-vibe campaigns around each of their collections. Luckily, the shoes were all available on display for a closer look after the show. Big news for the upcoming season is that Swedish Hasbeens now make (very good-looking) men’s shoes as well.

Inspiration was drawn from sports heroes of the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s, especially Wilma Rudolph, who grew up paralyzed from polio as the 20th of 22 children and was still able to set amazing world records and win three gold medals at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. This showed a new generation that anything is possible, regardless of race, gender or background.

“We must never forget what sport has meant for the equality of women and men and how it still makes us stronger in body and mind,” says Emy Blixt, Designer and Creative Director of Swedish Hasbeens.

The SS ’12 collection was highly inspired by classic sport shoes such as the Saddle Shoe, the Driving Shoe, the Beach Sandal and the Bowling Boot. All these models are included in updated and often unisex form in this new, diverse collection.

“The challenge for the SS ’12 collection has been to be innovative while still staying true to the concept and the result is a collection inspired by Hasbeens like Wilma and the active lifestyle of the 1940-50s, which made fashion sportier and more comfortable,” says Blixt.

Swedish Hasbeens are always made from sustainable materials like vegetable tanned chrome-free leathers, natural rubber soles and real cork. Like the legends of the past, they only grow better with age.

EcoSalon was on the scene for their SS ’12 show. Here’s some highlights.

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Sh*tkickers

Amy DuFault — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:01:08 +0000

That’s right. Shitkickers.

Your go-to shoe, your second-skin shoe, your I’m-feeling-like-I want-to-walk-softly-upon-the-earth-today shoe that reminds you that the weekend is coming.

Do you have a pair?

I love my heels and I love my boots, but sometimes it’s nice not to make such an entrance at the supermarket.

Clip clop clip clop. You know what I’m talkin’ about. Add to that the broken carriage I always get with the squeaky wheel, that I walk hard and fast at almost 5’9″, frequently suffer bad bang days, and therefore some days just want to slip into the natural foods section without notifying the entire store.

Here are some of my very favorites:

The Vegan Fringe Bootie by Manimal, which designer Kristen Lombardi is letting you pre-order at 15% off when you enter the code “ecosalon” at her site.

Denim Booties by Osborn Shoes

The Baskemolla Low by Swedish Hasbeens

Tom’s Habitante Vegan

Main image: SMercury’s98

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