I have a number of people for whom I need to pick up gifts this year and thankfully, for the sake of the Planet Blog, they fit into interesting stereotypes! Of course, these gifts aren’t going to be perfect for everyone, but they are a great place to start!

To: My Teenage Friend

This is a super cute and trendy bootie, made in cozy flannel and detailed with great, eye-catching buttons. The soft bootie is really in this year, and I happen to have a 17 year old to buy for. For less than $50 I can give her a pair of booties from one of the up and coming brands in the marketplace.

I happen to love my Blowfish boots and these will look great with skinny jeans, leggings or cozy tights. The rubber footbed and outsole offers a bit of protection from the elements but these are stylish and reasonably priced!

To: My friend who is jealous of my Socks.

I was wearing my black Injinji socks around my friend’s house the other day and no one could keep their eyes off them! Now they are in high demand in my circle so you know I’m going to snap up a bunch and give them as holiday gifts.

I mean – they’re totally fun! And also, I can attest to their being cozy, especially in lined boots. So if you have people in your life that are open to new things and want a great pair of high quality, performance socks that will get some attention, Injinji socks belong under your tree!

To: My Five Year Old Girl.

I am snapping up some great Acorn slippers for my little girl. She is extremely girly (I don’t know where she gets it from) and so I’m grabbing her the Acorn Boa Bootie in Pink Sherbert. I’ll buy a size up and be confident that they’ll fit through next winter as well.

Acorn has an amazing reputation for cozy durability so I know this is a gift that will keep her feet warm and the pink, fuzzy texture is sure to please. Plus, with a memory foam midsole cover and a non slip weatherproof outsole, she won’t go sliding all over the kitchen floor!

To: My Best Friend, Who has Waist Length Dreadlocks

WeBe Bags! Useful, versatile, adorable and made from recycled materials, these bags are eco friendly and have a style all their own. You can get a roomy tote or even a sizable duffel bag and every one is made out of a feed, flour or coffee sack.

In fact, you may not even end up getting exactly what your order because they are often each original! So if you have an eco-conscious woman in your life who has a unique sense of style and is always in need of a good bag, check out WeBe for a great holiday gift!

Planet, Inc. is pleased to announce that Goodhew socks have been added to the growing list of innovative, fun performance brands for sale on their website www.PlanetShoes.com.

“Goodhew socks are a terrific example of a new company developing a great product using terrific materials and high quality performance. Each sock is designed and created with the high quality fibers, including many sustainable components, and constructed for long lasting comfort and durability. We’re really excited to carry Goodhew this fall and winter and introduce our customers to this comfortable, durable and sustainable sock line!” said Phil Meynard, President of Planet, Inc.

PlanetShoes.com is offering 150 styles of socks for men and women, including crew, knee-high, low-cut and quarter lengths.

About Goodhew
Socks fitted and styled for the 21st century, the Goodhew brand is the perfect blend of high-performance materials and superb design. At home on the Appalachian Trail as well as in the office, Goodhew uses spandex throughout every sock for the perfect fit, incorporates flat-toe seams for the utmost in comfort, and uses many other features to enhance comfort and fit. The Goodhew Thread Architects have an eye for the right combinations of materials and design. Their yarn combination choices include Merino Wool, Lambswool/Alpaca, Cashmerino, Cashmerino/bamboo and Merino Wool/ Coolmax®. Fibers are chosen for superior breathability, cushioning and moisture management. The styles are modern classic and ultra chic. www.goodhew.us.com

About Planet Inc.

Planet, Inc. is an innovative lifestyle shoe retailer dedicated to selling the most comfortable and stylish shoes possible at value prices. Our flagship site found on the web at PlanetShoes.com specializes in active, comfortable, healthy, earth friendly shoes and products with a flare of fashion. Our product lines are ever expanding to bring our customer new fun footwear to choose from. Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast or an eco-friendly fashionista, we strive to offer the selection you want.

We look at affordability and value in pricing our products. Customer service and unique products are our calling card. Contact us directly at 1-888-818-SHOE (7463).

PlanetShoes.com is pleased to announce the creation of a Made in the USA specialty shop featuring a great range of shoes and accessories all made in the United States. Planet Inc. has long been known for its commitment to environmentally friendly and sustainable business practices, and the Made in the USA shop is designed to showcase products that are produced in the US and therefore employ Americans, sustain the American economy and reduce the environmental impact of shipping goods worldwide.

“We believe in supporting businesses that keep their production in the USA. While we understand this isn’t feasible for all of the brands we carry, we are excited to promote these particular footwear, sock, bag and accessory manufacturers in a special way. By offering a specialty shop, we help customers find these brands and support their businesses in a meaningful way,” explained Phil Meynard, President of Planet, Inc.

The Made in the USA shop features brands like Red Wing, New Balance, Smartwool, Wigwam and Teko Socks and bag manufacturers Timbuk2 and WeBe Bags. The products available in the online shop include athletic shoes, performance and comfort socks, backpacks, messenger and handbags, wallets and accessories for men, women and children.

“We plan to continue to find brands and companies that operate in the USA and make their goods in the USA as well. It’s well known that the shipping industry is one of the largest polluters in the world, which is why we implemented our Carbon Free Plus Shipping program where we donate proceeds donated by consumers to CarbonFund.org,” explained Meynard. “Finding companies that make their goods in the USA, and specifically companies like Teko Socks, WeBe Bags and New Balance shoes that also take their environmental impact seriously which means we’re supporting businesses that also think sustainability is important – which is important to us.”

PlanetShoes.com is currently featuring almost 300 products in the Made in the USA Shop found on the web at http://www.planetshoes.com/shops.asp.

About Planet Inc.

Planet, Inc. is an innovative lifestyle shoe retailer dedicated to selling the most comfortable and stylish shoes possible at value prices. Our flagship site found on the web at PlanetShoes.com specializes in active, comfortable, healthy, earth friendly shoes and products with a flare of fashion. Our product lines are ever expanding to bring our customer new fun footwear to choose from. Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast or an eco-friendly fashionista, we strive to offer the selection you want.

We look at affordability and value in pricing our products. Customer service and unique products are our calling card. Contact us directly at 1-888-818-SHOE (7463).

Are you one of those people, like me, who thought that the quality of your sock doesn’t make that big of a difference in your daily existence? Do you imagine a sock is just like any other disposable item – spend as little money as possible on the most convenient option and then forget about them until they disintegrate?

Yeah, I used to think that way too! And then I met Teko socks.

First off, Teko socks actually fit your feet and perform the way they should. Teko socks were developed by folks who needed outdoor socks but didn’t want to destroy the outdoors while making them. With the standards of the toughest hiker in mind, this company has set about producing premiere quality, domestically USA produced, eco-friendly socks.

These socks are designed for people who are out there hiking, walking and experiencing life and who want comfortable, dry, supported feet while they do it. They are designed for people with an active lifestyle every day who don’t want to stop to adjust their annoying toe seam or deal with an inconvenient and painful blister. They are designed for kids running all over the place or on their walk to and from school. Teko socks are designed to perform for everyone, and make a minimal impact while getting the job done!

There is no tube of material in sight here. Each sock is knit to hug your foot, to stay in place and to offer you support and cushion no matter what you’re up to. Teko is using eco-friendly technology to create a better performance sock – replacing traditionally used nylon fibers with eco-poly which is recycled polyester that offers better moisture transfer and control. They do still need to use some nylon, but the use is minimized when the alternative eco-friendly materials are employed.

These materials, when mixed with the natural fibers Teko uses in their socks makes for the great fit and “fiber rebound” that is necessary in a long lasting, high quality sock. And that brings us to the next awesome thing about Teko socks – they use natural fibers whenever possible! Teko buys organic Merino wool from Argentina, they use recycled polyester and they use organic cotton in their socks which means all sustainable socks, all the time!

Using non toxic dyes that have minimal effect on the environment, Teko socks also manufactures a product that is not designed to fall apart after tough use. Teko knows that the most eco-friendly products are the one’s built to really last, so if you invest in Teko socks, you know they will last you a long, long time.

And finally, the piece de resistance to this eco-friendly apparel fan, Teko socks is actually wind powered! Are you kidding me? How cool is that? They manufacture domestically as well to reduce their shipping needs in the United States, which is their target market.

Seriously, this company’s eco-strategy is well thought out and implemented and even if their socks didn’t totally rock, I would want to support them. But the great news is, the socks are terrific! So consider elevating the importance of socks in your world this summer, fall and winter.