One of the challenges in modern shoe design is how to use eco-friendly products as embellishments. In some cases, a shoe can use eco-friendly materials, but the buttons or decorations on those shoes might be made from non sustainable or petroleum products like plastics.

Coconut has provided an innovative and sustainable natural decoration material to a number of shoe makers. To boot (ha ha), some shoe makers are working on how to use the fibrous parts of the coconut plan in the creation of textiles for further sustainable materials.

The coconut shell can be cured and hardened and easily turned into buttons of any shape or size. The natural look and strength and durability make them a great choice – and they can take abuse from the elements!

Coconut plants are highly sustainable and cultivated worldwide. They are used for food, oils, ropes, mats, as a hardwood substitute, musical instruments, as sources for charcoal and even in spiritual rituals. The leaves of the coconut plant are even used for roofing. This is a plant that has been creatively used by countries with fewer resources at hand for years and as a result, there is no part of this crop that is unused. The Coconut tree requires a tropical climate so most of the production comes from countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, India and Brazil.

So who among our shoe makers is using Coconut in their shoes?

Simple Shoes – We talk about Simple Shoes a lot in these articles, because this company has really taken the use of and application of sustainable materials in footwear to a different level.

Using eco-friendly fabrics and textiles as well as natural rubbers and adhesives, most of their shoes are not only vegan, but also earth friendly, and Simple Shoes often uses coconut in their embellishments as adorable button details. You’ll also note, Simple Shoes has mastered the art of carving the coconut nuts into charming and detailed buttons.

Rocket Dog - Rocket Dog Eco-Luv collection is another great fashion option using eco-friendly materials like coconut in embellishments and in construction.

You’ll see coconut buttons and fibers incorporated in these creative eco-friendly shoes.

Great looking and good to the earth, Rocket Dogs will add an edge of fashion while keeping your eco conscience clear.

Like cotton, wool is considered a sustainable material and is therefore gaining ground as a material being used in eco-friendly footwear. All wool is considered sustainable as it’s a natural material that can be renewed by sheep farming, but organic wool should be used and cultivated. There are a number of breeds of sheep used in the production of organic wool and they include Navajo-Churro, Columbia, Rambouillet and Border Leicester among others.

Organic wool is certified according to federal requirements. Feed for the livestock must be certified as organic, there can be no use of hormones on the sheep or genetic engineering, it is prohibited to use any kind of pesticide on either the livestock themselves, on the fields in which they graze or on feed. Finally, farmers must raise healthy livestock through sustainable management practices.

Non organic wool allows for sheep “dipping” in insecticides and farmers can raise a higher number of sheep per square acre, which can adversely affect the health of the livestock. Right now, organic wool is more expensive than conventionally produced wool. The organic wool industry is considerably smaller and although they receive a higher price per unit than traditionally produced wool, when wool prices are low, non-organic wool producers will increase the amount of sheep per unit of land in order to make more money, which organic producer’s can’t do.

Organic wool production is gaining ground in the United States and according to the Organic Trade Association is being produced in Colorado, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and Vermont.
Wool and organic wool make for great shoe materials for all of the reasons wool makes excellent fabric and textiles for clothing and other products. Extremely warm and insulating, wool is also breathable and helps to manage moisture on the body.

So which of our brands use wool and organic wool in their production?

Simple Shoes - Simple shoes loves using wool because they consider it to be sustainable, warm and breathable – and they’re right!

Often used in Simple Shoes slippers as well as in boots, Mary Jane’s and other shoes, Simple Shoes use wool as an innovative material for its texture, color options and eco-friendly reasons.

Patagonia Shoes – Patagonia shoes use shearling and chlorine free wool in many of their boot and shoe linings.

They rely on the natural properties of wool for warmth, cushioning and heat and moisture management in the shoe linings.

Patagonia loves using sustainable E-Fibers like organic cotton, hemp and wool in their shoe designs.

Rocket Dog Shoes – The Rocket Dog Eco-Luv line offers a blend of sustainable fibers in their shoe textiles.

Including organic wool, these edgy, fun and sustainable shoes are perfect for casual wear for the “green girl.”

Super comfortable and using cool texture, Rocket Dog sneakers and other options love sustainable wool!

Timberland Shoes – Timberland Shoes use SmartWool® lining for added coziness and temperature and moisture control.

Primarily, wool is used in their winter shoe options and Timberland uses wool and fabrics to add texture and fun to their fall and winter options.

Crepe soles, or crepe rubber soles are widely used in footwear and in boot manufacture. Because of the durability and relatively low cost, crepe rubber has been used for decades, but what isn’t known is how eco-friendly crepe rubber can actually be.

Depending on the process, natural latex and rubbers have a rough hewn textured look although crepe rubbers can vary somewhat in texture and in color. The material is produced through a process called coagulation which combines melted latex with a natural coagulum – shell scrap, bamboo, jute fibers and even tree lace are often used in combination with the latex and the crepe rubber is the product.

The process is fairly inexpensive and the materials used can be entirely natural, making crepe rubber a smart option for casual shoes. It’s hard for organic and sustainable footwear companies to keep costs low, so crepe rubber can be a terrific option.

The color variance in crepe rubber is dependent on the amount of natural dirt or other contaminants allowed to remain in the material. Basically, higher grades of crepe leather have dirt and other contaminants removed during extra steps during production – which therefore adds cost to the material.

Crepe rubber is a great choice for eco-friendly casual shoes. The texture and color can be taken into consideration and actually add to and work with the style of the shoe. The rubber sole can reduce impact on your feet, ankles and knees and, when used properly, crepe rubber soles add traction to minimize slippage in wet situations.

So which of our eco-friendly brands use crepe rubber in their production? Well, a number of our shoe makers use rubbers melded with eco-friendly materials, but only a few specifically cite crepe rubber in their materials.

Groundhog Shoes – Groundhog shoes use crepe rubber made from the Lactae Meva Rubber tree.

The natural liquid latex is actually tapped from the trees and collected and the trees and process are both sustainable practices.

Groundhog uses crepe rubber soles in many of their shoes to offer support, comfort and sustainable materials.

The North Face Shoes – The North Face uses crepe rubber as a mudguard and heel reinforcement for added eco-friendly heel support and extra protection in wet and muddy conditions.

The North Face is working hard to integrate sustainable materials in creative ways into all their rugged shoes and this innovative use of crepe rubber as a support material and trim is a testament to their smart and sustainable design!

One of the most egregious wastes in the shoe industry has been packaging. Between the paper used to stuff the shoes so they look their best to customers, to the paper used to wrap the shoes before they are enclosed in fancy shoe boxes, the sheer amount of paper and pulp used is a little ridiculous.

I mean, really, unless you store your shoes in the shoe boxes, or use shoe boxes for storage in your house, you’re just throwing all that packaging away!

Hopefully consumers recycle those materials, but all too often they sit for decades in a land fill. So it stands to reason one of the first steps shoe companies that want to go green make, it to reduce their packaging, or turn to recycled materials. Some shoe companies, especially those who focus primarily on simple sandals like flip flops, reduce further, using post consumer plastic bags or even just simple post consumer waste recycled cardboard hangers!

Either way, consumers need to do their part, by not buying into packaging. After all, the box a pair of shoes comes in is not going to make them more comfortable, more durable or more stylish. The box is just about the branding. If consumers reject copious packaging and support the companies who are doing their part by producing quality footwear and eschewing the bells and whistles of waste, we could see a packaging revolution and reduce a lot of trash and stop consuming so many unnecessary resources.

Packaging and shipping is an area Planet Shoes, as a company, is also trying to make a difference. We offer Carbon Free Plus Shipping on all orders so customers can opt to pay a little extra money and Planet Shoes collects the donations and purchases carbon offsets from CarbonFund.org. We also use minimal shipping materials to reduce paper waste.

So who among our eco-friendly brands is doing their part in the packaging revolution? Well, quite a few – and we may have even missed some!

• Groundhog - Groundhog shoes uses all recycled fibers in it’s packaging. Additionally, their tissue paper is 100% recycled and unbleached fibers.
• J-41 - J-41 shoes are shipped in 100% recycled and recyclable materials.
• Mion - Mion Shoes are packaged in recycled materials that are designed to reduce the need for glue and use soy based inks.
• Simple Shoes - Simple Shoes use 100% post consumer paper pulp foot forms and in 100% post consumer recycled boxes.
• Sanuk - Sanuk shoes and sandals are actually shipped with no packaging!
• Terrasoles - Terrasoles shoes Uses recycled materials in their packaging as well as in their shoes.
• The North Face - The North Face uses recycled materials in their packaging.

When I first read that several of the eco-friendly brands here at Planet Shoes incorporated jute in their shoes, I thought it sounded cool, but I really didn’t know anything about this extremely important vegetable fiber.

For instance, did you know that jute is one of the cheapest natural fibers and comes in right behind cotton in production? Jute is used in an incredibly wide array of applications and its strength and low cost make it a great option in eco-friendly apparel and footwear.

Jute comes from the outer layer and stem of the jute plant and it requires a very warm and wet climate to grow. As a result, the production is focused mainly in India and Bangladesh with China far behind them in production. Jute is not only a natural fiber - its cultivation has little need for pesticides or even fertilizer – furthering its sustainable and eco-friendliness. Additionally, jute can produce massive amounts of cellulose in a short growing period. Cellulose is the inner, woody core of the jute plant, and this means that ultimately jute crops could actually provide worldwide wood needs.

The fibers of the jute plant are extracted in a process called “retting” in which the stems of the jute plants are bound together and immersing them in running water. This loosens the plant material, leaving on the fibers behind.

The fibers are then woven into cloth, some for industrial purposes like bailing cotton, and others are used for things like curtains, clothing and even in footwear! Jute cloth is biodegradable, strong, durable and even UV resistant and makes a great substitute for more expensive cotton.

So which companies among our awesome eco-friendly shoes are using jute in their shoes?

In fact, three of our favorites:

Rafters – Rafters use jute in their outsoles, mixed in with other sustainable materials like cork to reduce the amount of rubber, which is harder to harvest and produce naturally, that needs to be used in the shoe. The strength and natural properties of jute make it a great choice for creating stronger, more durable active sandals.

Rocket Dog – The Rocket Dog Eco Luv line uses Jute fiber in several applications to bring you a full range of super cute, eco friendly shoes From comfy sneakers and simple ballet flats to sexy wedges, the makers of Rocket Dog have managed to make eco-friendly into serious eco-chic.

Simple Shoes – Simple shoes are one of the best known makers of sustainable footwear. They use everything from organic cotton to cork and several pairs of their super cute shoes also incorporate durable and versatile jute!

When I think about Bamboo, I think about beautiful, tall, reedy trees and crazy growth rates. I know Bamboo is useful for many things, but until I started researching sustainable materials and textiles, I had no idea how many uses there really were for this amazing plant.

Bamboo is technically in the grass family, but is considered a woody perennial evergreen. In optimal growing conditions, and given the right bamboo type, this plant can actually grow up to 24 inches in a single day. This kind of growth rate makes bamboo a very sustainable crop, especially if one can be creative with its uses!

Bamboo is widely used in Asian cooking as well as in Chinese medicine for treating infections and healing. In tropical climates, because Bamboo is both durable and lightweight, it is actually used widely in construction and in homes. It is also used in anything from furniture to chopsticks, to ornamental vases and canoes. Just like any wood or reed, artisans have used bamboo for any number of products and items.

Ultimately, a process was developed where bamboo fiber could actually be derived from bamboo pulp. This fiber has been made into all kinds of fabrics that contain several natural benefits that come from the Bamboo plant. Bamboo fabric is soft, UV resistant, anti bacterial, soft, absorbent, and can even aid in temperature regulation.

Now, when you hear all those features in one place, what do you think of? That’s right! These are all the features shoe companies look for in a material!

So who among our eco-friendly shoe companies uses this super cool material in their shoe designs? We’ve got three that we know of – you know many of the others are always coming out with new innovations – but let’s look at how they use Bamboo in their eco-friendly shoes!

• Groundhog – Groundhog shoes actually use a bamboo derivative in their fabric linings and socks called bamboo charcoal which contains many of the features we’ve discussed including bacteria resistance, the ability to absorb moisture, thermal insulation features. This makes Groundhog shoes more comfortable and keeps them from developing any unfortunate odors!
• Simple Shoes – Simple Shoes uses bamboo fibers and fabrics in many of their shoe linings. This is because of the absorbency, anti bacterial qualities and ability to keep annoying foot odors at bay!
• The North Face - The North Face uses bamboo fibers in several of the uppers of their shoes, including the new Mountain Sneaker. The North Face found a way to combine metal-free suede with the bamboo fibers to create a good looking and durable shoe.

I knew there were clothes out there made of hemp and recently we experimented with hemp seeds in our whole food cooking, but I had no idea hemp had been used in footwear applications until very recently. Of course, it makes sense.

Hemp is known to make durable and versatile textiles, so many shoe companies are taking advantage of this flexibility and using this eco friendly and sustainable material. In fact, hemp has been used for over 12,000 years as a fiber resource. Sadly, hemp cannot be grown at an industrial level in the United States because of its association with the drug marijuana, which is also from the cannabis family.

Hemp is a form of cannabis but it is the virtually THC free brother of the well known marijuana plant. Industrial hemp has been used in paper products, biodegradable plastics, health food, textiles and apparel and recently, because of the popularity of using sustainable materials, its popularity and therefore its crops are growing fast! In fact, it is one of the fastest growing crops producing tons of raw material that can be used in a wide variety of industries.

The hemp plant’s fibers are commonly called “bast” and when they are extracted that can be a variety of colors from off white to green and gray. Hemp was widely used for its fiber production throughout history because it produces 250% more fiber than cotton grown on the same land. In fact, the name “cannabis,” comes from the word Canvas, which is what so much hemp was used for historically.

Hemp grows quickly and is a hearty plant, requiring little pesticide and no herbicides to grow well. This lends further credibility of hemp being a sustainable and eco-friendly fiber. Currently, hemp is widely cultivated in Australia, Austria, Canada, the UK, Spain and Russia.

So which of the eco-friendly shoes that we carry incorporate hemp into their construction? Just a few that we know of, but we’re sure this number will continue to grow!

• Patagonia – Patagonia shoes use hemp fibers in soles, laces and uppers citing its durability under any circumstances. Hemp fibers are known to be quite strong and long in length so they fit Patagonia’s outdoor lifestyle brand perfectly.
• Simple Shoes – Simple Shoes has widely adopted hemp in several shoe uppers and in other parts of the shoe. They use hemp because of its softness and its ability to breathe in the summer, to keep your feet cool but to also be warm in the winter when you need your toes cozy.
• Rocket Dog – Rocket Dog incorporated hemp into a number of shoe features in its eco-luv collection which has everything from simple sandals to cute ballet flats.

Many of our favorite eco-friendly brands incorporate cork into their shoes. Primarily, cork is incorporated in the sole of the shoe, for decorative or for functional purposes. The reason is that cork is light, durable and almost impermeable to liquids. The other cool thing about cork is that it is a natural substance that is also sustainable.

Cork comes from the Cork Oak tree, a special variety of tree that grows and lasts about 200 years. Every nine years, the cork is literally stripped from the trunk of the trees and then the raw materials are turned into all kinds of products. Most Cork Oak trees are in Portugal, with Spain coming in second as a cork producer.

Cork is highly recyclable and its elasticity and density are what make it so popular as wine stoppers and in things like buoys. Likewise, these characteristics of cork make them great for shoes. They can absorb shock, maintain the low weight of the shoe, resist water and moisture from your feet or from your environment and now the look of cork is also highly desirable as a contrasting texture in shoe design.

So which of our favorite shoe companies use cork in their shoes, and how?

• Patagonia – Patagonia often uses cork wrapped footbeds incorporated into Patagonia sandals because cork is comfortable against the skin and wicks away moisture to keep your feet comfortable even on the hottest days.
• Rafters – Rafters sandals use cork in a different way – they blend it with rubbers and other recycled materials to reduce the amount of man made and harder to get materials. For instance, you’ll often find cork and EVA midsoles in Rafters sandals, taking advantage of the natural benefits of cork.
• Rocket Dog – Rocket Dog’s Eco Luv collection incorporates cork in several styles, including their higher wedges to keep shoes light and sustainable!
• Simple Shoes – Simple Shoes uses cork and natural latex to add a soft and squishy, yet moisture resistant and sustainable softness to their great looks!
• Terrasoles – Terrasoles shoes, like many brands, uses cork in many of its midsoles, often blended with eco friendly latex for maximum comfort while taking advantage of all of Cork’s natural properties!
• The North Face – The North Face is a leading maker of eco-friendly active footwear and they also love using a blend of cork and EVA as their midsole to maximize sustainability and comfort!
• Zumfoot – Zumfoot shoes are innovative and interesting and they use cork and rubber to create a flexible and more sustainable outsole.

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

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!