Want to get the look of People’s sexiest bachelor?

Chace Crawford just keeps getting more popular - starring as Nate Archibald on Gossip Girl and soon to be reprising the role Kevin Bacon made famous in the new version of Footloose. His relaxed and casual style is well known and in this case, we see him sporting a pair of Simple Shoes, one of our favorite brands here at Planet Shoes.

Simple shoes are made from eco-friendly materials in a sustainable fashion so we love to see celebs wearing them and promoting this great brand. We carry a wide variety of Simple shoes for men and women.

A great option for men this season from Simple Shoes is the Tuba sneaker. They look great with a modern organic cotton textured upper and the outsoles are made from recycled tires! Enjoy vegan, veggie and earth friendly shoes all in one from Simple Shoes!

Rubber, as we all know, is used in a lot of footwear. We find rubber in the soles, the footbeds and even the body of our shoes all the time. But how much do you know about rubber? Do you know, for instance, that although we can harvest this natural resource with relative ease, that we still make a synthetic version based on petroleum?

So let’s bounce around some good rubber information, shall we?

Like all materials, there are options that are more eco friendly than others. Rubber, or latex, naturally comes from trees – and not just rubber trees! According to our friends at Wikipedia, rubber is an elastomer originally derived from a natural latex found in the sap of some plants. Scientists derived the chemical makeup of natural purified rubber and then began producing it synthetically.

In the eco-friendly shoe world, there are several companies who are making the effort to move to natural rubber, which can easily be harvested from a variety of plants in a sustainable way. Many companies are also employing recycled rubbers to offset waste.

So, who is doing what?

Natural Rubber and Eco Latex

Several companies are using natural rubber and eco latex, harvested from a variety of latex producing plants. Just a few of the plants that can be tapped for natural and sustainable rubber include the Para Rubber tree, the rubber fig tree, spurges, lettuces and even dandelions! Obviously, some plants and trees can produce more latex than others. Para Rubber Trees, in fact, are considered the best producers because it responds to tapping by producing more latex!

Companies using Natural Rubber and Eco Latex

• El Naturalista
• Patagonia
• The North Face
• Zumfoot

Recycled Rubber

Another way shoe companies are moving to more eco-friendly and sustainable policies relating to rubber is by using recycled rubber. Recycled rubber comes primarily from recycled car tires, which are broken down into particulate matter so the steel reinforcement can be removed. Once the steel is out, the rubber is made into a powder which can then be made into other materials, like shoe soles. At this point, because of the challenges relating to rubber recycling surrounding the vulcanization process, recycled rubber is not as widely used as it might be. There are, however, several companies here at Planet Shoes touting their use of recycled rubber in their shoes!

• J-41
• Patagonia
• Rafters
• Simple Shoes
• Terrasoles
• The North Face
• Timberland

We love The North Face! Their shoes and bags are made with durability and style in mind, so you can trek into the outback or look stylish but practical hitting the playground with the kids or heading off to school.

One of our favorite stars, Jennifer Garner, has been seen sporting a great The North Face backpack while out and about with her daughters.

The North Face Recon backpack is extremely efficient and streamlined with the ability to carry a lot without taking up a lot of space.

It can hold a laptop up to 17 inches and has a hydration port for long distance hikes and treks. Side pockets will hold water bottles or sippy cups! With a Daisy chain on the front you can easily hook on other gear.

The North Face backpacks are made to stand up to the test of time and this efficient back pack will get you where you need to go. You’ll even be emulating celebrity style while being super practical. What could be better?

For men this season, it’s all about fun, vintage sneakers. We’ve seen them on celebrities like Penn Badgley and now we’re seeing different styles and brands pop up all over the place!

You can find great options from a lot of companies, including PF Flyers who are the experts on the vintage inspired athletic shoe – but did you know New Balance has a great selection of sneakers for men that have the style and the substance you need in an athletic shoe?

A great example is the New Balance Vintage Running sneaker available in black and gray. This style debuted to great popularity in the 1980’s and now it’s been re-launched and celebrities like Elijah Wood have been spotted getting in on the action.

A great pair of vintage inspired sneakers gives you the benefit of healthy athletic support with the style you’re looking for as well.

So browse through our Men’s New Balance sneakers and find a great look for this summer, that will even take you into the fall!

Leather within the context of the environmental movement is a complicated topic. Leather has been used for generations but there are two main arguments against leather for shoes, bags, belts and more.

1. Vegans and vegetarians in the environmental movement hate the use of animals for food or products, so leather is unacceptable right off the bat!
2. The typical leather tanning process used in today’s industrial applications is heavy on the chemicals and the industrial waste. This makes many leather goods very eco-unfriendly.

Here is where the complication comes in:

1. Vegans and Vegetarians won’t use leather, but in many cases are willing to wear shoes or carry bags made from synthetic materials. Although these products are considered “vegan” they are, in many cases, not eco-friendly.
2. Leather, although not vegan, is a natural material. When tanned in an environmentally responsible way, its durability and the fact that it isn’t synthetically produced makes it a more eco-friendly option.

So you see, you can get durable, eco-friendly leather which will last you longer and help you buy fewer shoes but that aren’t vegan, or you can cast a sharp eye to make sure you’re purchasing a vegan product that is also eco-friendly and hope that they last!

If you’re going to purchase leather goods, you should definitely know where it came from and how it’s been treated. Likewise, if you choose to purchase vegan goods, make sure they are also made with a commitment to the environment.

We’ve talked about the process of greening leather before. Various large companies are making a concerted effort to follow in the footsteps of smaller shoe makers who’ve already made the commitment to using only “green” leather.

A number of our favorite brands use eco-friendly leather in all or some of their shoes. They include:

• El Naturalista
• Groundhog
• Patagonia
• Pikolinos
• Timberland

Enjoy our eco-friendly leather shoes and stay green this season!

Are you looking for a cute summer flat that will work with everything in your closet from your little summer dresses to your shorts to your capris? One great option to consider is a pair of simple and super comfortable TOMS shoes. Made with high quality materials and in a fun variety of colors, TOMS shoes also have a conscience.

We’ve written quite a bit about the great story behind TOMS SHOES. These simple and adorable slip on shoes for men and women were developed by entrepreneur and philanthropist Blake Mycoskie. For every pair of TOMS Shoes that is sold, a pair of shoes is given to a child in need.

We’ve seen TOMS shoes on all sorts of celebrities, from Kristen Stewart of the Twilight movies and now, Keira Knightley is sporting her own pair of comfortable, durable TOMS Shoes!

We love to see celebrities promoting a great cause through fashion - so be sure to check out TOMS shoes today and bring a pair home. You’ll love the shoes and you’ll love that your purchase is making life easier for a child in need!

Are you a guy looking for a great look for this summer? Or are you shopping for the man in your life? Consider being inspired by Brad Pitt’s style and looking at a pair of Sanuk’s!

Sanuk is all about surfer cool. Their sandals and slip on’s are simple in design and made from crazy materials like recycled inner tubes, indoor outdoor carpets and Guatemalan blankets. Sanuk is all about a casual shoes but innovative look and comfort – which is why it was so cool to see Brad Pitt sporting a pair of Sanuk’s a while back!

Pitt, known for his celebrity and commitment to green architecture and products was seen sporting a pair of Sanuk Sidewalk Surfer Cruisers whole out and about with partner Angelina Jolie. As always, Brad Pitt can carry off any style, but in this case his casual and scruffy style is easy to emulate and you know his feet feel great!

So if you’re browsing for some great casual summer shoes this season, look through our great selection of men’s Sanuk shoes. You’ll find comfortable, unique and funky men’s sandals and shoes at a great value! And also, you’ll look like Brad Pitt – what’s not to like???

We’re excited to give you all an update on our great efforts with CarbonFund.org!

As many of you know, we’ve been donating proceeds from our opt in Carbon Free Plus Shipping every month to a few causes funded by CarbonFund.org. Basically, every time one of our customers chooses to pay a small amount to offset the carbon footprint of their shipping costs, we put it aside and then donate all of the money to CarbonFund.org at one time, each month.

We’re thrilled to let you all know thus far we’ve donated over $2000.00, in 2009 alone, towards our favorite projects!

• January: $863.72
• February: $593.48
• March: $487.12
• April: $502.55

So where is the money going? We’ve selected projects that relate to renewable energy production and the reduction of emissions due to shipping. Check out our selected projects:

• New Bedford Landfill Methane Project - New Bedford, Mass.
• Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center - Taylor and Nolan County, Texas
• California Solar Projects - Aliso Viejo, Stockton, Ontario, and Anderson, Calif.

We’re really excited to see the consistent interest of our customers relating to offsetting the impact of their shipping on the environment. We’ll keep you posted on our May and June donations, and in the meantime, if you’re interested in calculating your carbon footprint, check out the CarbonFund.org calculator and learn about what you may be able to do to help the environment!

What is EVA?

We have a long list of eco friendly shoe brands here at PlanetShoes.com that use EVA as the material for the footbed of their shoe. EVA is a dense foam which acts as an excellent and durable shock absorber in the sole of many shoes. Originally popularized in athletic shoe soles, EVA is now being used industry wide and in a wide variety of shoe shapes and styles.

EVA actually stands for Ethylene Vinyl Acetate and is a polymer widely used in a number of applications – from biomedical engineering to photovoltaic modules (solar panels). In the case of footwear, these companies are using the expanded rubber of foam version forms of the polymer. The reason EVA is considered more eco-friendly is that it doesn’t use chlorine in its production. This means there is less toxicity released during degradation in a land fill somewhere if you discard your shoes.

Recycled EVA material is considered even more eco-friendly because not only is the material itself environmentally safer, but it is likewise not being simply discarded and is instead being re-used again and again. EVA is also widely used in Vegan shoe products because it is man made and animal friendly.
In many cases, companies are also using EVA almost as a binding agent for other eco-friendly shoe materials. Jute, bamboo, cork and other materials are incorporated with the EVA to create better function, a great look, and an eco friendly shoe.

So who among our shoe brands is using this innovative and eco-conscious material in their shoes and footbeds?

• Birkenstock - Uses their traditional cork and latex foot bed with EVA as their sole material to add flexibility and lightweight durability.
• Keen – Uses compression molded EVA midsoles and foot beds to ensure maximum support and protection in an outdoor athletic sandal.
• Merrell – Uses a molded EVA foot bed to keep you comfortable and adds their own Microban technology into the mix to keep your shoes fresh and bacteria free.
• Patagonia – Uses EVA with 15% recycled content for their foot beds and midsoles.
• Rafters – Uses recycled EVA rubber along with biodegradable cork for their mid-soles for durability, support and anti microbial properties.
• Rocket Dog – The Rocket Dog Eco-Luv line uses recycled EVA for their footbeds!
• Teva – Uses EVA and PU to create a highly shock absorbent heel for the more active Teva wearer!
• The North Face – Uses a cork blended EVA for maximum comfort and shock absorption and biodegradable and anti microbial properties.
• Timberland – Uses compressed EVA enhanced with anti microbial properties for lightweight comfort.
• TOMS Shoes – Uses a lightweight EVA sole for their shoes with a cause.
• Zumfoot – Uses EVA at the core of their cork and latex foot beds. The combination of materials offers maximum support and durability with an eco-friendly edge!

Hey Gossip Girl fans – lovers of fashion and well dressed men!

PF Flyers have been a major name in the casual sneaker industry for decades, and their classic style that can work with any look keeps them current. They have been gaining prominence among young celebrities and are all over the place this year especially with the popularity of prep this spring. PF Flyers are being seen out and about all over the place!

In fact, Penn Badgley has been seen out an about in PF Flyer’s Albin sneakers not too long ago and we’ve got them right here at Planet Shoes!

The Albin is a reclassification of the PF Flyer’s court low top basketball shoe and is actually set in a couture Italian upper. The dress shoe construction elevates this from standard sneaker to amazing footwear.

So ladies, if you want to elevate your guy’s style, while leaving him in the comfort of a sneaker shape – or guys, if you’re ready to knock the socks off of the fashionista in your like consider some PF Flyer Albin sneakers and get the Gossip Girl look!