We’ve written about greening leather tanning practices in the past on the blog. The good news is that this treatment is getting better press across the green world and the best news is that a bunch of our favorite footwear brands are being recognized for making the responsible choice of using greener leather.

There was a recent article on Treehugger.com, referencing an article in Footwear News, about the three ways that tanneries are greening up their processes, and the companies that are supporting these more sustainable and responsible factories.

First off, leather tanneries are some of the worst water polluters in the world. There are so many chemicals used, and there is so much water used, that they not only flush bad chemicals into water sources, but also USE a massive amount of water, which is also wasteful. Simona Tanning, which provides leathers for some of our favorite brands, including Keen, Clarks, Camper, MBT Shoes, Sperry Top-Sider and Timberland is reducing their water usage and their discharge by 40% using reverse osmosis technology.

Second, Treehugger highlighted companies that are incorporating solar power into their energy production. The leather tanning company, PrimeAsia Leather Corp, who supplies New Balance, Clarks, Reebok, The North Face and Merrell cites that it’s highest bill and highest energy consumption comes from heating the water in large boilers for their process and by installing a sizable solar panel installation, they expect their up front solar investment will not only pay for itself in less than 18 months, it will also significantly reduce their carbon footprint!

Finally, and this is what every manufacturing company should do, the ISA Tan Tec leather tannery, who supplies Keen, New Balance, The North Face, Reef, Timberland, Merrell and Chaco is focusing on looking at every step of their process and optimizing and improving their practices. They have invested in a hydraulic cooling system, which uses water at specific temperatures to cool a space. As the water warms from ambient temperature, it is moved from the hydraulic cooling system into the boilers for the tanning process. The pre-warmed water needs less energy to heat, and the hydraulic cooling system has reduced the need for electric powered fans. This smart improvement has reduced energy consumption by 35% and water usage by 50%!

Chaco is world famous for their innovative shoe designs that are geared for all things outdoors. But Chaco is also well known for their environmental and global outlook as a business. That attitude leads them to find ways to contribute to their community, encourage their employees and make a positive impact in this world.

Starting with their own small community of employees, Chaco rewards those who choose to bike to work, volunteer their time and talents and continue their educational pursuits. Expanding their vision, Chaco footwear has contributed to environmental causes in their home territory in the Rocky Mountains and even won awards for their work! Taking it another step further this year, Chaco purchased 400-megawatt hours of wind powered certificates that matched all of their yearly electrical consumption. That is 572,000 pounds of carbon dioxide reduced! Excellent! With such a global outlook reflected in a local way, you can feel good about supporting a company like Chaco while enjoying their wonderful shoes.

This has been called a flip-flop on steroids, and I can’t disagree. The Chaco Hipthong has the look of a hopped up flip ready to take on anything you throw at it. With the traditional toe peg and straps leading back to the center of the foot, the Hipthong then adds adjustable straps at the mid-foot point allowing you to get a perfect custom fit.

The nylon straps are incredibly durable and hold their shape, design and color beautifully through sun and exposure to water. Available in brown, blues, green, pattern and plain, the Hipthong is as versatile as you! The polyurethane BioCentric footbed features a subtle raised texture to keep your footing in any condition. The EcoTread rubber sole is made of recycled rubber, showing Chaco’s ongoing commitment to the environment and our world.

I love the Chaco Switch. It is the perfect cross over shoe between sport and casual. I could wear these all day every day this summer and pretty much never regret the choice. The BioCentric footbed of this sandal is leather lined with this really cool debossed artwork.

Long lines run the vertical length of the shoe with vines of wildflowers, providing traction for your foot but looking just artistic and pretty. The two straps that make up the thong are made of different materials, one being a nylon strap providing a complimentary color that gives the shoe a bit of design pop.

The nubuck leather strap actually floats along this nylon strap. It slides along adjusting to just the right spot to make your fit perfect! How cool is that?! Then, being Chaco, we get another bonus- the rubber sole of this sandal is made of 25% recycled rubber. One less bit of trash going into our landfills- excellent.

It’s called the Chaco Paradox because, well, it’s a paradox. It is a sandal. It is a shoe. It is a shoe-sandal? Whatever, it’s cool. The upper part of this shoe is made entirely of woven nylon webbing that creates an open breathable design with an amazing look. There is a microfiber suede liner for absolute comfort where your foot comes in contact with the strapping.

There is a tension lock buckle so that you can adjust the top strapping for the best custom fit. The BioCentric footbed is removable for fast drying after a day spent on the water. The Getagrip outsole is ready to take on trails, river rocks and slippery conditions- and it is made of recycled rubber! These sharp looking shoes are one of a kind and just the sporty shoe you have been looking for to complete your summer wardrobe!

All of us want to shop more responsibly, support businesses that are doing their best to improve the world and still enjoy the great fashion and fun shopping that we love.

PlanetShoes.com has created the Brands That Care store to show us what companies are creating change. These companies take their responsibility to the Earth, their communities and their employees seriously.

Many strive to change the way that their products are made to create less of an impact on the environment. Some, like Chaco, have used wind or solar power to create a carbon-neutral footprint. Others, such as Patagonia find ways to re-use the scrap materials generated in their manufacturing process to lighten their eco-footprint.

Changing the world is not easy, but it is a challenge worth taking on and there are plenty of worthy causes to support. New Balance has partnered with the Susan G. Komen Foundation to join the fight against breast cancer. Lace Up For The Cure offers specially designed New Balance shoes where part of each sale goes to fund the fight against breast cancer. While Mi Mo handbags donates a whopping 5% of all of their profits to charities that fight domestic violence.

Several companies have integrated a commitment to others as a part of their corporate identity. TOMS Shoes donates one pair of shoes for every sold, an unparalleled effort to change the way millions of people face each day. While casual favorite Crocs created SolesUnited to collect used Crocs, recycle them and then donates the shoes all around the world to people who otherwise would go barefoot. Millions of people are sickened and injured every year by not having adequate footwear, and these companies are changing the harsh reality step by step.

Timberland has created the Earthkeeper project committed to building community gardens, rebuilding playgrounds and engaging their employees in community service. They have made steps towards changing the way that their company runs from the manufacturing to the sales of their shoes to reduce their environmental impact. Less packaging, streamlining distribution and selecting sustainable materials will all make this world a better place.

Patagonia, a leader in responsible business practices has also teamed with partners to create a re-soleing program that allows customers to keep their favorite shoes and boots on their feet and out of the landfill.

Ten years ago the 1% For The Planet organization got their start with just a handful of businesses, now 1248 companies donate 1% of their sales to a network of 2,023 environmental organizations worldwide. Planet Shoes, Patagonia and El Naturalista have joined this great cause and have helped to contribute to more than 30 million dollars raised for the planet!

Many of the companies featured in the Brands That Care store have progressive policies that allow their employees to live balanced and active lifestyles. Timberland and The North Face encourage employees to use alternative transportation, carpool and bicycle whenever possible.

I love knowing which companies are doing good things behind the scenes to make my world better. I get to shop in a way that is responsible and supports causes that I believe in. Each step that I can take to make my life, my habits- especially my shopping habits greener and more socially responsible the better I feel. The Brands That Care store is my cheat-sheet for knowing just where to look for great footwear with a conscience.

Planet Shoes has launched a specialized Health and Wellness Shoe Shop including popular brands like Earth Footwear, Skechers Shape-Ups and MBT Shoes. The Health and Wellness shop includes shoes with technology designed to support the body; in fitness, in the workplace and in everyday activities.

“Health and Wellness footwear has really come a long way in terms of styling and technology,” explained Philippe Meynard, President of Planet, Inc. “People tend to associate Health and Wellness footwear with shoes that feel great but perhaps don’t keep up in terms of style. We’ve focused on finding brands that offer comfort, support and even calorie burning while being totally appropriate for everything from work to an evening out.”

Health and Wellness footwear, according to PlanetShoes.com, includes many styles from the traditional sneaker to cozy winter boots and even stylish pumps. The criteria for being included in the Health and Wellness Shop are based on the technology and health benefits of the shoes.

“Brands like Naot, Geox and Gravity Defyer all offer elegant styling and attention to detail with specially designed footbeds and technology. You’ll find posture support, anatomical foot support, temperature control and shock absorption.” explained Meynard. “These are shoes that may not look like Health and Wellness footwear on the outside – which is why we wanted to make a special push on the website bring these brands to our customer’s attention.”

The Health and Wellness shop includes hundreds of shoes, boots and slippers for men, women and children and brands including:

• Alegria
• Aura
• Birkenstock
• Chaco
• Clarks
• Earth
• Geox
• Gravity Defyer
• MBT Shoes
• Naot
• Power Diet
• Reebok
• Skechers
• Spira
• SpringBoost
• Z7

“The goal of the Health and Wellness Shop is really to express the breadth and depth of footwear that fits into this category. Planet Shoes has been all about comfort for a long time and we’ve been working hard to focus on various lifestyles; whether you’re eco-friendly, active outdoors or looking for boutique fashion. For us, the Health and Wellness shop is a natural extension and a way to help fans of particular brand to find other options that are equally healthy and supportive.”

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).

Organic cotton is all over the place these days. You’ll see it in t-shirts, home goods, cotton balls and even in eco-friendly shoes. Organic cotton is grown according to a set of standards that has been developed to certify methods that have less of an impact on the environment. This means no dangerous pesticides, no genetic engineering and the preservation of biodiversity and the soil.

The push for organic cotton is critically important, because according to some sources, it can take 1/3 of a pound of chemicals to produce enough cotton for one t-shirt. If you consider the sheer amount of cotton clothing, not even counting all of the other things for which cotton is used, you can imagine how many chemicals are going into the soil and into the cotton and ultimately into the earth and into people.

Organic cotton has a huge variety of benefits. Firstly, organic cotton does use genetic engineering or antibiotics, which means that natural strengths in the plants are cultivated and weaker plants are culled out. Consequently, soil health is improved and species diversity is supported. By protecting the soil and the earth, we’ll have better, healthier land and crops and we’ll be preserving the health and success of future generations.

In 2007-2008, according to the Organic Trade Association, the growth of organic cotton increased by 152% and it is produced worldwide, with India now in the lead in terms of production. The only downside to organic cotton is that is costs more to produce, therefore increasing the costs of consumer goods down the line – but using organic cotton not only preserves the environment from chemicals, it also reduces or dependence on oil and petroleum.

How?

Well, other materials used to create clothing like rayon, polyester, acrylic and nylon are all made with petrochemicals. Petrochemicals are derived from petroleum and petroleum comes from oil. So when you support companies that use organic cotton, and when you wear organic cotton, you are supporting the environment in multiple ways.

We’re excited to offer shoes from a number of companies who have committed to using organic cotton in their construction!

• Simple Shoes
• Chaco Shoes
• Patagonia Shoes
• Rocket Dog Shoes