Who: New Balance – Boston, MA

What: New BalanceNewsky

Where: Planetshoes – $89 ( Women’s in green, blue or pink; Men’s in red or yellow.

Why We Love It: The New Balance NewSKY takes minimalism to a whole new level with this cutting-edge sneaker. This cool, comfortable lightweight sneaker speaks to sustainability, innovative design, and performance.

By exploring different techniques and materials, New Balance was able to streamline the components of the traditional sneaker. By keeping only the essentials, they were able to minimize the amount of materials used without sacrificing comfort or functionality. The upper is crafted from PET, a fabric made from post-consumer plastic bottles, that is soft, pliable, and comfortable. Small amounts of foam and water based glues, and an EVA sole complete the materials list.

Who: New Balance – Boston, MA

What: NB Minimus Trail Barefoot Running Shoe

Where: Amazon.com – $99.95

Why We Love It: I have been waiting for months for the new New Balance/Vibram Barefoot Running Shoes to come out – and thanks to my brother, I got one of the first pairs off the shelves! And not to be the least bit dramatic (ha), but they have changed my life — or at least the way I run.

Now, first off, when I tell people about my love for my barefoot running shoes, the first thing they do is curl up their noses and say ‘ewww, those finger-toe shoes?’ No, the New Balance Minimus Barefoot Running shoes are not the finger toe shoes, but they are made in collaboration with Vibram, the company who makes the finger-toe shoes (and which I’ve only heard good things from those who wear them). Who knew barefoot shoes could be so polarizing…

I have long suffered from knee pain courtesy of two minor meniscus tears in my knees and a debilitating back injury that my doctors initially said would not allow me to run in the future. Through physical therapy and a lot of hard work and maintenance, I have been able to recover (for the most part) from my injuries and have returned to running. I’ve also have been very careful about returning to running, adopting a stride where I land on the balls of my feet and run with my ‘tail’ tucked under (coincidentally, the same stride recommended by supporters of barefoot running — a more upright stride). So when I caught wind of the barefoot movement and how it eases the pounding pressure that running puts on your joints, particularly knees and backs, I was eager to try them out.

The theory is that the popular, over-cushioned running shoes that most of us wear actually disrupt the human body’s natural stride by encouraging a straight-legged, heel-first landing. Barefoot shoes are designed to help us return to a more natural, evolutionarily-designed stride by supporting a more upright posture and landing on the front pads of our feet, resulting in a softer landing and better shock absorption. Click to continue »

Who: URoads – Italy

What: Men’s Forest Dress Shoes

Where: Endless.com – $150.95 $83.02 in white or silver

Why: Leave it to the Italians to give a total face lift to the concept of an eco-sneak. The main ‘green’ element of U-Road’s collection of ‘metro’ shoes is the sole, or as they call it “recycled souls”. They make theirs from recycled tires some even expose the original treads of the tire. They figure that when most tires get ‘retired’ they have plenty of usable life left in them. So instead of manufacturing soles from virgin materials they reuse what is already readily available. For some of their more refined styles they don’t expose the treads and instead use a mix of reused tires and leather. The leathers they use are tanned with vegetable oils which is much kinder to the environment than traditional methods.

We particularly like this sneaker with it’s subtle nod to the 3 R’s with the obscured “Reduce, reuse, recycle” graphic. And the high gloss gives the extra umph in the sneakers polish setting it apart from dull, flavorless eco-shoes. It’d be right at home on the set of the Social Network..

All of their shoes are expertly crafted by hand in Italy.

Sadly, we think U Roads has closed up shop. We are still trying to get confirmation of their closing. At least you can scoop up what remains of their inventory….

Who: Naya – Billund, Denmark

What: Naya Lightning Boot

Where: Zappos – $149.80

Why We Love It: Who can resist a blue suede shoe? The unexpected mix of blue suede uppers with deep brown accents and decorative buckles make for a stand out boot. Comfort is an added bonus.

It’s made of a chrome-free leather and suede upper and has a recycled cork non-slip outsole. The lining is padded and feels like silk for added comfort and the footbed features a biodegradable foam comfort system. Click to continue »

Who: Swedish Hasbeens – Enskede, Sweden

What: Lace-Up Boot

Where: Amazon.com – $195.42

Why We Love It: Just love the story behind Swedish Hasbeens – when founder Emy Blixt visited an old clog factory in her childhood village in southern Sweden, she bought up their old stock of 300 clogs from the 70’s to the benefit of her friends who went crazy for the vintage styles. A year later Swedish Hasbeens was born employing traditional clogmaking techniques in a modern way. Click to continue »

Who: Osborn Shoes – Brooklyn, NY

What: Scottish Wool Booties

Where: Osborn Shoes – $175 with free shipping

Why We Love It: Still obsessed with the red check this season – beats walking around in all black! Nice to have a little levity on the feet. These lace-up oxfords are handmade in Guatemala. Co-founders Carla & Aaron Venticinque-Osborn spend about 1 week a month monitoring production in their fair trade workshop where they now employ 24 local artisans.

The Scottish Wool Booties are made of locally sourced materials including 100% wool uppers, leather soles, cotton lining, and a cushioned insole. Often reclaimed and vintage fabrics are use and some of the fall shoes use soles made of recycled rubber.

At Urban Sherp, we fully believe that every small step you take makes a difference. Living a ‘greener’ life style is all about making choices every day that help steer the planet in the right direction. As educated consumers we can use the power of the dollar to help change the way things are grown, manufactured and shipped and encourage businesses to make more people, animal and earth-friendly decisions. What better way to take a first ‘step’ in living a greener lifestyle than by choosing a more eco-friendly shoe. More and more manufacturers are exploring the use of alternative materials like recycled PET, sustainably harvested cork, water-based glues, hemp and chrome-free leathers to create an end product that is a little bit greener. Here are some of our favorites:

SEXY PUMPS:
BEYOND SKIN Hazel T-Strap Pump $284.95 $113.98	OLSENHAUS Faith Pump $200.95 $80.38	TERRA PLANA Rita Platform Pump $129.95

KITTEN HEELS:
TERRA PLANA Patch Pump $169.95 $67.98	COCLICO Chiba Heels $299.95 $119.88	OLSENHAUS Grace 2 Peep Toe $199.95

SWEET FLATS:
CRI DE COEUR Enchant Wrap Flat $85.00 $33.97	OLSENHAUS Love Wedge $74.38	NAYA Fauana Flats $135

ANKLE STRAP SANDALS:
OLSENHAUS Destiny Flat $189.95	COCLICO Timpani Sandal $314.95 $125.88	SIMPLE TanTan $135

BOOTIES:
CRI DE COEUR Linneah Bootie $264.98 $105.98	NAYA Ana Shootie $145	COCLICO Arlene Bootie $395

HEELED BOOTS:
COCLICO Awaso Tall Boot $532.95 $373.07	TERRA PLANA Tamal Mid-Calf Boot $319.95 $127.98	EL NATURALISTA Duna Boot $187.46

COOL KICKS:
SAUCONY ORIGINALS Jazz Low Pro Vegan Sneaker $28.30 – $64.95	SIMPLE Satire Hemp Sneaker $54.95	TERRA PLANA Odette Flat Shoe $100

Who: Naya – New York, NY

What: Ana Peep-Toe Shootie

Where: Amazon.com – $145 in inky blue or in tan at Piperlime

Why We Love It: Yes, we’ll admit we were at first skeptical about peep-toe booties, wondering when they’d be appropriate, but now we wonder how anyone could live without a pair of blue (or tan) suede ‘shooties’… Turns out they are incredibly versatile. Pair with jeans, leggings, trousers and go with or without stockings in just about any season (rain and snow are admittedly tough). The soft pleats of the 100% chrome free suede lend a sophisticated edge. Click to continue »

Who: TOMS Shoes – Santa Monica, CA

What: Calypso Canvas Wedge

Where: Amazon.com – $69 (update, sold out)

Why We Love It: We soo wanted to embrace TOMS classic canvas shoes, but it was a style that we just couldn’t pull off (although they are super cute for kids!).  So we were so psyched to see their new summer collection with this timeless summer wedge. Love the stripes, the rounded toe, the shape and the TOMS One for One emblem on the back. Click to continue »

Who: Timberland – Stratham, NH

What: Men’s Earthkeepers 2.0 Venetian Loafer

Where: Amazon – $74.95 – $90

Why We Love It: We had to include a pair of classic Timberland’s for the fellas too. These are super comfy, durable, maintenance free and only get better with age. In addition, they are members of an elite group Timberland’s eco-conscious Earthkeeper’s 2.0 collection. The soles contain 42% recycled materials, mainly scrap tires, the leather is from a tannery receiving a silver rating for its industry-leading water, waste and energy management. The lining contains 50% organic cotton. Click to continue »