| by Bel | 11.04am NZ time |
Check it out - comfy casual shoes which have been created ethically and sustainably. Simple shoes are stylishly made from natural and recycled products and you can have them delivered to your door thanks to Natureshop.
It was my dear friend Melissa who tipped me off about Natureshop and it's her here modelling the shoes, which they sent me to blog about.
Mel's a big fan of the online store and each year buys a pair of snuggly warm sheepskin boots to wear in the winter months. This New Zealand company has sourced their stock from brands which have a commitment to environmentally sustainability, ranging from Icebreaker clothing to Green Baby organic skincare.
As a vegetarian, I always feel in a dilemma about buying shoes. Wearing leather made from animal skin feels like such hypocrisy! But have you ever walked into a #1 Shoe Warehouse and been overwhelmed by the stink of plasticky evil? Uggggh.
Many synthetic shoes which could be considered vegan and therefore animal-friendly, have been created from an unholy mess of fossil fuels in sweatshop conditions. And you and I both know that as a general rule, cheap shoes fall apart very quickly.
Rather than regularly spending money on new shoes, I'm choosing to buy better quality products which I aim to eventually get repaired and restored (like the Skechers mary-jane shoes I blogged about last month). My winter boots have been resoled twice and are still going strong! The culture of 'fast fashion' where we snap up cheap versions of latest trends is dangerous to our environment - it's estimated that in the UK shoppers are each sending 30kg of clothing and textiles to the landfill each year.
A brand like Simple takes the angst out of the equation. They call themselves "your stereotypical, anti-stereotype brand" and their business has been run sustainably for over 20 years. Simple are inspirational to those us trying to dress green when doing so can often seem like just another fashion trend.
This environmental focus is held by Natureshop too. Their environmental policy shows a commercial attitude which goes beyond just making the big buck.
Natureshop is carboNZero certified, purchasing carbon credits to offset the footprint created by posting things around the world. The items they post out are packaged in 100% biodegradable materials. I know Lou and I have both raged before about the ludicrous wrappings that go into many modern products! This kind of change is such a basic thing, yet has so many benefits.
The shoes photographed here oh-so-artily are Simple's 'Satire' style in a women's size 10 US / Euro 41. I'm guessing that the satire comes from their fastenings, which look like tidy shoelaces but are actually just a front for elasticised slip-ons. How sneaky! And convenient.
The lining is very sweetly floral with the practical dusky blue exterior colour balanced by the cute strip of pink running round the trim. The sole of the shoe is black, made from recycled car tires.
I found them too small for my feet, but there were a perfect fit on Melissa. An open lace style might've been okay, I just found I couldn't squeeze my foot properly in the opening. (Sigh.) I'd suggest going a size up if you're unsure - and Natureshop makes returning items very easy with free shipping and a 365 day returns policy.
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Melissa told me that she's worn these Simple shoes all weekend from breakfast til bed and that the "comfort is unsurpassed"!
Comforting as well to know that the shoes are good for our world as well as good looking.
It seems I was too busy being JEALOUS (of Melissa, obv) to post saying I WANNA PAIR!
Hahaha you should check out the site - they deliver internationally! ;D
There are some cute ones with ribbon laces which I can imagine you loving...