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.

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.

The NB Minimus Trail Runners have completely transformed my running experience. I’ve never been that much of a runner, but for the first time in my life I feel light on my feet when I run now. I am pretty consistently a slow runner. At 10 minute miles, I walk faster than I run. But with the new upright stride and the toe landing, I was able to shave 30 seconds off my mile average within one week — an improvement that I hadn’t seen in over 2 years of running. Sometimes, at the beginning of my run, I feel a slight twinge in my back or knees, but after a couple of minutes when I’ve usually found my stride, it feels fine and I feel I can run more often overall.

It cannot be stressed enough that when you start training with barefoot shoes, you need to start out slow — starting out at 10% of your normal workout. I began with a 3-minute run and increased it by 2 minutes on each run (actually made running even easier, as who doesn’t have time for a 12-minute run?) Sounds tedious, but you really are retraining your muscles — particularly those in your feet and calves which have been underutilized, having been stabilized by the soles of your running shoes. What I noticed on my first run was that my feet felt light, thanks in part to being free of heavy-soled sneakers, and although my feet and calves were sore the next day, my knees and back were quite happy.

I don’t see myself ever going back to standard issue running shoes. With the NB Minimus shoe, I actually enjoy running.

See New Balance’s environmental initiatives.

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….

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.

Naya is a collection of beautiful eco-friendly shoes that look good, feel good and simply are good for you and for the earth. Blending feminine style, premium comfort and eco-friendly design, Naya shoes are beautiful on your feet, soft on your step and gentle on the earth.

Made in China.

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.

Their focus in design is creating quality products using sustainable materials and manufacturing. All of their styles are completely made by hand, using chrome-free, natural grained leathers – which may feel tough at first, but will soften over time and last forever. The wooden sole is made from lime tree wood. This shoes are incredibly comfortable and are designed to last a lifetime with proper care.

They’ve got dozens of styles with a new collection coming out this spring. We love the lace up boot – it has the comfort and wear-ability of a clog and the stylings of a fabulous boot.

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.

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.

And you don’t have to worry about wrestling to get your feet in, the side zipper allows for easy slip-on and the extra room in the footbed makes them quite comfortable for wider feet. A biodegradable latex foam comfort system adds cush and the recycled cork non-slip outsole keeps feet secure. The generous 2.5″ inch heel is made of sustainable bamboo and it’s all held together with water soluble glues and cements for a more eco-friendly alternative.

Naya, a member of the Brown Shoe Company which also owns Dr. Scholls, Buster Brown, and Via Spiga, is committed to using natural and eco-friendly materials whenever possible to create a collection of shoes that look good, feel good and are better for the planet than traditionally manufactured shoes. They use vegetable-tanned leathers, natural or recycled content fabrics, water-based cements, footbeds containing natural cork and outsoles containing natural. Even their packaging is eco-conscious with boxes composed of 80% recycled paper pulp, soy-based inks and water-based glue and reusable shoe bags and shoe forms made with recycled PET.

NAYA

Who:

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.

They made of natural canvas uppers with an EVA insole and a soft suede insert with jute rope detailing on the heel. They are quite comfortable, breathable and the suede help keeps feet from slipping in the summer heat, but the heel height, at a teetering 3 1/4”,  is certainly not for “quitters.” They do fit snug at first, but over time mold to your foot. And they are selling out fast!

We’ve admired TOMS since they started back in 2006 introducing their One to One concept – for each pair purchased a pair of shoes would be donated to child in need – as a means to create a sustainable business that ‘does good.’  So far TOMS has donated over 600,000 shoes to children around the world.  Which is incredibly powerful when you consider that a pair of shoes means protection from soil-transmitted diseases and infections which can have life altering effects in both health and education, and in many cases these are the first pair of shoes these children have ever owned.  Who knew the power of a shoe?

If you aren’t in the market for a pair of shoes, consider donating your gently used shoes to Souls4Soles who have distributed over 10 million shoes to people in over 125 countries, including Kenya, Thailand, Nepal and the United States.

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.

Few companies consider what happens to their product at the end of its lifecycle and are only concerned really with the point of sale. Timberland’s 2.0 collection takes the eco-friendly design process one step further with a built in recycling program for their shoes. The shoes are designed to be disassembled at the end of its usefulness so that the components can be more easily recycled. 50% of the components of this loafer can be recycled and this is how:

To be recycled, Timberland® Earthkeepers™ 2.0 footwear will first be taken apart. The worn out Green Rubber soles made of 42% recycled rubber will be sent to the Green Rubber factory to be ground up and de-vulcanized, ready to be made into something new.

The leather uppers on returned Earthkeepers™ 2.0 footwear will be used to make new footwear at Timberland’s own factory in the Dominican Republic. Polyester components will be recycled into new polyester products at Teijin in Japan, the only company that currently recycles polyester chemically. All removable metal hardware will also be reused or recycled.

Which means less material clogging our landfills, less materials manufactured and a greener shoe.

Available in Brown, Light Brown or Nubuck Navy.