They have a range of shoes for adults and also offer the Ehtletic Sneakers in children’s sizes suitable for three years and up. Why not teach your kids from an early age that their carbon footprint is just as important as their actual footprint. Like all the Autonomie Project footwear, the Ethletic Sneakers use 100% Fair Trade certified cotton, FSC certified natural rubber and all dyes are PCP and AZO free. Sweatshop-free labor is used to make the shoes. They are available in six colors.

Further details and to buy online, check out the Autonomie Project website.

The uppers are felted wool and they are lined in certified organic cotton knit. The outsole is layered natural crepe and all of this is held together with a water based cement. The packaging is just as eco-friendly and with 100% post consumer paper pulp foot forms and box, they are up there with many of the best footwear products.

More details at the Simple Shoes website or buy click for the best pricing on any of the Simple Shoes range including the Underlay Slippers.

The Madera is classic Vans style. They are similar to the original slip-ons even down to the ones with the checkerboard print. They are made using hemp and canvas textiles, have a bamboo charcoal lining, hemp infused gum rubber outer sole and natural cotton jute wrap. Of course they use water based glues and inks too.

For the best pricing check out the Vans Madera shoes.

The Cojo comes in three colours and one of them features the checkerboard pattern that is synonymous with Vans. Materials include chrome-free suede and hemp, bamboo charcoal lining, hemp infused gum rubber outer soles and they are also natural crepe wrapped. Plus, all water based glues and inks.

Click to checkout the full range of Vans shoes.

The Vans Half Crepe shoes come in slip on and lace up varieties. Not a low shoe and not a boot, they are the ‘half’ shoes. made from natural hemp, corduroy and suede with bamboo charcoal linings and a natural crepe outsole. Water based glues hold them together and the inks are also water based.

To purchase Vans shoes, have a look at the range here.

If you prefer a lace-up then the Vans Sea Captain is a better choice over the slip-on Low Crepe Vans model. Very similar low cut show made from similar materials. A quick rundown includes organic canvas, hemp and nubuck uppers, bamboo charcoal lined midsole insert, water based inks and glues. Finally, the Vans traditional waffle sole.

Click for the Vans Sea Captain range of colours and best pricing.

The range of boots are actually made from plastic bags fused together by heat. More layers means a thicker more tear resistant fabric suitable for a range of things such as shoes, raincoats and other clothing. The boots have a fabric lining to protect the skin and also absorb moisture. No extra dyes or inks are required, they just use different coloured bags.

Definitely not styled for everyone’s liking, however, if you are interested there is a bit more information at the Dacca blog.

So fast forward many years and I was pleased to see them making footwear from sustainable raw materials. The Low Crepe model is a slip-on made from natural hemp and textiles, a bamboo lining, hemp infused gum rubber sole (waffle design of course) and all held together with water based glues. They come in a few colours all using water based inks.

These are part of their surf range so check out the Vans range.

begoodesigns sources excess materials and claims a massive 99% of inputs are excess leather. Rather than seeing this going to waste it is being turned into stylish eco-friendly products. In addition, 100% of their waste is reused. By producing smaller producs such as jewellery they ensure nothing goes in the bin. And what doesn’t go into their products is used as packaging which also means 100% of the packaging is made from excess fabric.

More details at the begoodesigns website.

Better still, the company has a very strong corporate responsibility program. Footwear manufacturers have received a lot of bad publicity and MBT addresses each of these concerns on their website. They support the International Labor Organization’s efforts and have established their own code of conduct covering issues such as forced or convict labour, child labour, remuneration and maximum working hours.

From an environmental perspective, their boxes are made from cardboard and designed such that they don’t require any glues or staples and are fully recyclable. Shoes are shipped with an environmentally firendly picro-pack patch to reduce bacteria and mould. They operate a clean manufacturing facility in Korea, keeps harmful emmissions to a minimum and doesn’t use chemicals with benzene structures. Finally, they use chrome-tanned leather to produce a strong, flexible product using the most energy and water efficient method.

The full range of MBT shoes can be seen on their website.