Posh Swaps Blog

Po-Zu is pleased to announce the launch of its ethical and ecological footwear retail website www.po-zu.com.

The new website now allows customers from all EU countries to buy their Po-Zu shoes direct as well as through the established Po-Zu stockists, including Terra Plana and the Natural Shoe Store in the UK.

Po-Zu is a range of stylish footwear for men and women with an environmental consciousness. They are safe for the people involved in the manufacturing process and their impact on the environment is minimal. Their coconut fibre foot-mattress is not only biodegradable but also provides a uniquely pleasurable walking experience thanks to its springy fibrous structure.

“The beauty of this web store, is that we are able to offer our entire range for the first time under one virtual roof” explains Po-Zu founder Sven Segal. “It’s also about being transparent and accessible. The site has been designed to be as user friendly as possible, and you can easily find our retail store partners there too”.

With extreme hot weather in mind, Po-Zu’s spring-summer line uses sustainable, breathable, and lightweight materials which are kind to our body and the planet. Po-Zu has also expanded its selection of Vegan shoes this season by incorporating organic hemp and cork to over 70% of its entire range.

The cork is produced from the bark of the Cork Oak tree Quecus Suber, which grows
in Portugal where the shoes are produced. The harvesting does not harm the tree and a new layer of cork re-grows, making it a renewable resource. The hemp is organically grown, unbleached, with low-impact dyes, free from heavy metals.

Apart from shoes there are a few accessories on offer like edible shoe cream and coconut shoebox planters. Also, a sweet, short film follows the shoe production route, from the coconut husk in Sri Lanka, through to England and finally Portugal where the shoes are made.

Po-Zu was launched in 2006 by shoe designer Sven Segal with the aim of setting new standards in ecological footwear manufacturing. The shoes are made from carefully-selected natural biodegradable materials, free from harmful chemicals, and organically certified where possible. Harmful glues are avoided by stitching the shoes together, which also makes them more breathable, durable, repairable and recyclable.

The brand’s other goal is to provide maximum comfort and pleasure for the people who wear its shoes, while ensuring the shoes are ethically sourced and manufactured.

Po-Zu’s shoebox was nominated for the UK Green Awards 2006, for best packaging. The biodegradable coconut box can be used as trays to grow seeds. As the plant grows, the entire packaging can placed in the ground where it will decompose and turn into earth.

Following its commitment to produce products that are as non-toxic as possible, Po-Zu launched in 2007 a shoe cream that is so safe it can be eaten. Apart from treating leather, the Edible Shoe Cream is also an all-in-one beauty product that can be used as a lip balm, skin moisturizer, hair conditioner, massage oil and cooking oil. You can even spread it on toast for a nutritious snack.

Finding a classic style of shoe that works well with all sorts of casual and smarter outfits for the summer can sometimes be challenging. These Mocassins by Pikolinos combine attention to detail and comfort in a shoes that will go with almost any casual summer outfit. We love the stitching and the neutral, versatile colour. They also have an anatomic sole for maximum comfort.

These shoes have also been made with minimum impact on the environment. Whilst most leather is tanned using a cocktail of chemicals including chromium which are bad for the environment and damaging to the health of those working in the tanneries, these shoes are made using vegetable tanned leather. Tanneries often cause substantial pollution of the air, water and land in surrounding areas. Vegetable tanning uses only natural agents which is much kinder to the environment.

Pikolinos is a Spanish brand with a focus on natural design and artisan manufacturing giving high quality, comfortable shoes that are made with respect for the environment. Their shoes all conform to their three fundemental values which are unique, natural, and authentic. They have a range of shoes available on Spartoo.co.uk including sandals, court shoes and boots.

Pop Singer Lily Allen has announced that she is to launch her new fashion business, named ‘Lucy in Disguise’, this Summer during Vintage at Goodwood Festival. She has also announced that she is turning her back on her music career to concentrate on the new business venture, which will feature vintage clothes with her sister Sarah Owen. The event is to take place over a long weekend in August this year in the grounds of the grand Goodwood Estate in West Sussex. It is to be hosted by Red or Dead founder and designer Wayne Hemmingway, and it will be the first festival of its kind to combine music, fashion, design and retail.

Lily Allen has commented in the past that she was considering the idea of taking a break from music, quoting ” To me, the idea of music and fashion being separate is just not possible- one can’t exist without the other. If you can’t find something here you are passionate about I would be very surprised!” The festival will also have its own ‘High Street’- which will contain temporary pop-up shops from the likes of The Body Shop, John Lewis, and Oxfam, as well as hair salons where stylists will recreate styles from past eras. There will also be a ‘Vintage Marketplace’, where vintage lovers will be able to browse around and shop in their own personal heaven! A main music stage will play host to several live acts, including Sandie Shaw, who will be performing for the first time in 20years.

It seems Lily Allen wants to take a serious shot at her fashion business, hence why she is retiring from music. It looks like her range will be a massive success, working under guidance of Wayne Hemmingway who has already been a huge success in the vintage market. “The thing I love about vintage is that it is incredibly well-made,” says Lily- “it lasts forever!”

Picture taken from www.telegraph.co.uk

For those blushing brides who want to look their absolute best on their big day without worrying about what impact their dress has on the environment, they will be pleased to hear that a new website has been launched which features wedding dresses that are produced in India and Nepal, under strict fair-trade conditions using eco and sustainable fibres and fabrics. Tamman Wedding Collection, who also offer a bespoke service as well as their internet service, were inspired to create these stunning dresses from details of Indian and Tibetan traditional dress style, mixed with futuristic ideas from creative art.

With prices starting from £450, there may be brides out there who still want to have their perfect wedding dress, do their bit for the environment, whilst keeping to a budget- and what better place to start looking than Posh-Swaps.com! Posh-Swaps is the website to swap, buy and sell unwanted clothing and accessories- so you could find yourself with a beautiful wedding dress that has only been worn the once- for FREE! And at the same time, perhaps swap it for that something in your wardrobe that you don’t wear anymore!

However, if you are a bride who has already had her perfect day, then another great way to help save the environment is to recycle your wedding dress by either swapping or selling it online. You may find that you are happy to swap it, and if your dress is worth a few hundred pounds, you may be able to negotiate a swap for a few more items of clothing- perhaps a pair of shoes, jeans, and a new top, or anything else which you have perhaps been thinking about having to update your wardrobe!

Picture taken from www.daisygreenmagazine.co.uk

Posh Swaps has just had its first birthday and in celebration, we are holding a great prize draw during the month of May. Anyone who lists clothes to swap on Posh-swaps.com during May 2010 will be automatically entered into the draw. For each item listed you will get one entry into the draw so the more items that you list, the more chance you will have of winning. The winners will be drawn at the beginning of June and notified by email, all prizes should be claimed within 2 weeks or there will be a redraw to determine a new winner. So here is what you can win:

First Prize - £100 of shoe vouchers for Spartoo.co.uk (this prize is only available to those resident in the UK) - take your pick of some of the latest styles of shoes and handbags including some great designer brands.

Second Prize - a new Initial wallet by Lollipops Paris - a large and well organised purse with large coin pocket and sections for notes and cards, this is the perfect balance of style and practicality.

Third Prizes - three lucky winners can take their pick of one item from our own Posh Swaps swapping account. With a selection of second hand accessories and clothes in a variety of sizes (and a few vintage pieces).

Runners Up - ten runners up will each recieve one of our stylish reusuable Posh Swaps cotton bags.

ThePrizeFinder - UK Competitions