Posh Swaps Blog

A good  pair of boots are a real investment that you can keep and wear for years. If you choose a classic style that are high quality well made they will go with a multitude of different outfits, always look stylish and never go out of fashion. The sales are a great time to invest in a great pair of eco friendly shoes or boots that are not only incredibly comfortable but also made with respect to the environment. Spartoo have a fabulous sale on at the moment with boots by some great eco friendly brands at amazing prices. Here are just a few of out favourites.

These ankle boots by Pikolinos would look equally good with a trouser suit for work or a pair of jeans on the weekend. The wedge heel is a great way to add some height without making them difficult to walk in. You can be sure that these shoes will be top quality as they are made using artisan techniques.

These versatile boots by Dream in Green can be worn to dress down a pretty floral dress or with leggings or skinny jeans for a Rock and Roll look. They are made with vegetable tanned leather which is kinder to the environment than conventional leather.

These cosy boots by Think would look great with a casual skirt and thick tights for the weekend. They are made from 100% natural materials and a completely handmade manufacturing process.

Style Eyes Ethical Fashion Blog is celebrating its fourth anniversary with an exciting competition for fashion bloggers. The competition has prizes worth over £300 including £100 vouchers to spend at Spartoo shoes, a £50 voucher for People Tree and a pair of handmade earrings.

The aim of the competition is to get fashion bloggers thinking about ethical fashion by creating an outfit that contains at least one piece of ethical fashion including vintage, charity shop and upcycled clothing and accessories. It is open to all UK Fashion Bloggers with a Twitter account and the closing date is 28th November. You can find out more about the prizes and how to enter over at Style Eyes Ethical Fashion Blog.

Ceri Heathcote of Style Eyes Ethical Fashion Blog has also just created a new group called Ethical Fashion Bloggers, that will provide a platform for bloggers to network with other bloggers that have an interest in ethical fashion, promote  their blogs and work with ethical brands. It is not just for those that only blog about ethical fashion, it is for anyone with an interest. Bloggers can find out more and join the group here. Ethical Fashion Brands can keep up with what the group is doing by signing up to their newsletter here.

Havaianas women’s sandals have stood for style, comfort, affordable luxury, and positive energy for over 45 years. Inspired by the traditional Japanese sandal with fabric straps and rice-straw soles, Havaianas is known for their eye-catching sandals since 1962, with their signature logo-emblazoned thin strap and foot-beds with a textured rice pattern.

Featured styles include our slim line of women’s sandals for the ladies whose feet run just a bit more petite, and our Conservation International Line, which donates 7% of sales of these nature-patterned flip flops to social environmental projects in the Brazilian shoreline. The Havaianas Bridal Collection of women’s sandals in delicate pastels and jeweled straps. And whether we’re offering fun options like glow-in-the-dark flip flops, metallic burnishings or the chance to customize your own pair of women’s sandals, you’re sure to feel at home in any pair you choose.

You’ll also feel comforted knowing that Havaianas is doing their part to help conserve the environment, with their support of Conservation International and The Institute for International Research, a non-government organization in Brazil dedicated to promoting science, education and sustainable business. And Havaianas employs environmental sustainability methods, such as electricity and water consumption, residue recycling and environmental conservation training for employees right in their own factory.

Havaianas are always in season. Visit us.havaianas.com to get started on finding the perfect pair today.

Pikolinos is one of my favourite ethical shoe brands. I can definitely vouch for the quality and amazing comfort of the shoes but they are also manufactured with respect for the planet. The shoes are made in Spain using natural materials with interesting details like stitching. The majority of Pikolinos shoes are manufactured using vegetable tanned leather, water-based dyes and solvent free glues which considerably reduce any environmental impact. The company also supports a variety of different social cuase through the Juan Peran Foundation.

For autumn and winter this year, I am loving the tower heel hiking boots, practical court shoes and casual knee high boots. These shoes and boots combine practicality with style and are versatile enough to go with a range of different winter outfits.

Pikolinos - Brujas Rico - Chocolate

A great choice for every day wear. These boots would look good with any skirt or dress and tights.

Pikolinos Tolouse Grey Court Shoes

For the office, it can be difficult to find a pair of hardwearing and practical shoes that look great with a suit. These are perfect and versatile enough to go with trousers or skirts.

Pikolinos - Izmir Tajo Boots

If you like to keep up with the latest fashion, these heeled hiking boots are just what you need. Wear with chunky socks for trendy and toasty feet all winter.

Pikolionos Izmir Kihu Boots

Finally I love the cosy faux fur trim and double buckles on these boots. You couldn’t get much cosier toes.

Style Eyes Fashion Blog is the latest in a number of designers, celebrities and fashion bloggers to switch their focus to green and ethical fashion. The blog has also changed its name to Style Eyes Ethical Fashion Blog can now be found at www.ethicalfashionblog.com.
Ceri Heathcote, founder of Style Eyes Ethical Fashion Blog, made the change after realising that there was more to looking stylish than constantly buying cheap bad quality fast fashion. She discovered that it is possible to combine a love of fashion with charity shop, second hand, vintage and ethical clothing. She has also joined the army of fashionistas who are getting creative to refashion and upcycle old clothes for a unique and sustainable alternative to shopping on the high street and sharing their creations through online social networks.
Ceri says “How could I enjoy wearing and writing about clothes that had been made at the expense of both people and the planet? Blogging about second hand and ethical fashion is the perfect way to indulge my love of clothes without any guilt and hopefully inspire others to get involved too.”

Future plans for the Style Eyes Ethical Fashion Blog include a monthly new letter with ethical fashion news, tips and offers, plus affordable ethical fashion and vintage clothing guides.

For further information
www.ethicalfashionblog.com
Email: ceri@heathcotecommunications.co.uk

We are now moving away from summer and into the colder, wetter and windier weather of autumn  and winter. Time to pack away the flip flops and sandals and treat your feet to something a little more sturdy but that doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on style (or your ethics). There are plenty of beautiful shoes for autumn and winter that have been made with respect for the environment including boots for daytime wear and more dressy shoes for evenings out to take you right through to  the festive season. Here are just a few of out picks.

All of these shoes are by Dream in Green, an eco brand that used vegetable tanned leather and recycled materials. They are also manufactured in Europe and made with strong eco principles. I love the practical wedge heels and the details like the cute collar on the first ones.

These on trend boots are all from the eco brand Pikolinos which is know for making high quality comfortable shoes. Again they use eco friendly materials like vegetable tanned leather.

Finally, if you are addicted to cosy ugg boots in the winter, Po-zu make a great eco friendly version that have a unique coconut foot mattress making them super comfortable.

If you spend all day on your feet or walk a long way, comfort is likely to be pretty high on your priority list when it comes to choosing shoes.

Po-Zu shoes have also put a very high priority on your comfort when designing shoes, along with caring for the environment and ethical manufacture. As if this wasn’t already the makings of a great shoe, they have also added in a healthy dose of quirky style. These shoes are perfect for those who want to stand (comfortably) apart from the crowd and make a statement with their shoes. 

The styles are also smart, feminine and versatile so you can be sure to get plenty of wear  out of them. Po-Zu shoes are made from completely natural materials and have an amazing foot mattress made from coconut fibres which moulds to the bottom of your feet.

These beautifully made Hop sandals are not only perfect for the end of this summer, but will last for many summers to come. When you no longer want them, you can bury them in the ground to biodegrade.

For the autumn and winter you can keep your feet super warm and comfy in these Pep sheepskin boots.

These Lola shoes are perfect for everyday wear- they go with everything. We love the cork detail.

Sometimes it can be difficult to find a great pair of shoes that are also eco friendly and on trend. There are so many different aspects of the shoe to consider when trying to find a pair that has minimal impact on the environment including recycling, carbon foorprint, vegatable tanned leather and non toxic materials.

There are however som great eco shoes out there that minimise their impact on the environment in a number of ways and also have really beautiful and innovative designs. Here are 3 of our favourites:

Pikolinos makes shoes using vegtable tanned leather. Their shoes are also stitched together and incredibly good quality so will last for many years. They are natural colours. 

Po-zu again uses vegetable tanned leather for their shoes. They have a unique coconut husk foot matress which makes them uncompromisingly comfortable and they are stitched together to avoid the use of toxic glue. They are also completely recycleable.

The Melissa brand has gained something of a following in recent years for their fun designs and brightly coloured plastic shoes. They are made from  recycled plastic and are made even more desirable with collaborations with designers inclduing Vivienne Westwood.

Birkenstock is a German brand of shoe that has been manufactured since 1774. The Birkenstock has always been about the wearers comfort and has a characteristic cork and rubber footbed which is moulded to the shape of the foot. It is thought that the first Birkenstock sandals were originally made by  Johann Adam Birkenstock, but it was in 1897 that his son Konrad Birkenstock developed the first contoured insole to be used for bespoke shoes.

Birkenstocks are now worn all over the worn all over the world and are particularly loved by those in professions that are on their feet all day. Birkenstocks originally became popular in the US with flower children in the sixties but in the 1990’s they again experienced a surge in popularity. These days they are seen as a classic piece of summer footwear to be worn with a variety of summer clothing without socks.

As well as traditional Birkenstocks, you can also get Birki’s for children and a more feminine version of the original design - Papillio from online shoe retailer Spartoo. There are some great colours and prints available, making them a great way to add a bit of interest to your summer outfits. Try wearing with your seventies flared jeans for true seventies style.

Melissa Lady Dragon Westwood

Sometimes it can be difficult to be eco friendly and sustainable at the same time as being on trend and stylish especially when it comes to shoes. But fun brand Melissa are changing all that with their fun and colourful range of plastic shoes.

‘Hey wait a minute’, I can hear you saying to yourself  ‘plastic? eco friendly and sustainable?’  Well everything that we wear has some type of impact on  the environment including leather shoes and even organic hemp. Sustainability is all about reducing that impact as much as possible but in the fashion world sustainability also has to be trendy and attractive or it just won’t sell.

Melissa shoes are made from party recycled  plastic and are also recyclable helping to reduce their impact in terms of waste, carbon footprint and potentially other emissions produced during manufacture. They are made in a socially and environmentally responsible  factory in Brazil which also recycles its waste and water as much as possible.

The manufacturing process of thermo moulding plastic allows fun, colourful and creative designs to be made. The label has also proved that they are right on trend with collaborations with designers like Vivienne Westwood. They even smell like candy and I assume never need to be polished, what’s not to love?