Posh Swaps Blog

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.

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 It is thought that the first Birkenstock sandals were originally made by  Johann Adam Birkenstock, but it was in 1897 that his son Konrad Birkenstock developed the first contoured insole to be used for bespoke shoes.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.

If you are looking for ethical, comfy and on trend shoes, then Sole Rebels at Spartoo are a great choice. With a colourful range of tennis shoes, trainers and boats shoes, they are practical for people who like to get out and about and active and the perfect choice for wearing with casual outfits including shorts and jeans.

For those who love to look stylish but don’t want to compromise their ethics, Sole Rebels have a great story behind them. Their company slogan is ‘Ethiopia is running’ and they help to provide employment for people in Ethiopia. Their 40 employees benefit from being paid higher than the countries minimum wage and get the chance to utilise their skills and experience.

This company was founded in 2005 by Alemu Tilahum Bethléem and is based 2,600 metres in altitude high up in the Ethiopian plains. The designs use  traditional Ethiopian fabrics and recycled tyres. Each product is handmade and the factory uses solar energy.

We love these Classact Lace ups which have a striped panel that is right on trend for SS11 but will also look stylish for many seasons to come.

These Urban Runner shoes are the perfect colour for wearing with matching jeans or a contrasting floral dress for a really funky look.

There are plenty of Eco brands to choose from at online shoes retailer, Spartoo with a great combination of trendy, quirky and traditional styles of footwear. The ‘Green’ shoes at Spartoo are made with respect for the environment and minimum impact on the environment.

Ethical and eco friendly shoes are the perfect footwear to finish off your outfit made from swapped or second hand clothing. Please don’t forget to send us pictures of your eco and swapped outfits to get featured on our blog.

El Naturalista sell a range of eco friendly shoes from trainers to clogs and sandals that are combination of modernity and traditional. The leather shoes are tanned with vegetable tans and are available in a great range of vibrant colours.

Recyclus Bow Shoes

Pikolinos are a Spanish brand that make 100% natural shoes with a focus on technology and artisan manufacture. Again their leathers are tanned with vegetable tans. Their shoes strike just the right balance of style, comfort and respect for the environment.

Mallorca Ding Shoe

Thinks shoes are eco friendly, but it is not just a marketing strategy, from their from their launch in 1930 they have had a strong focus on ecology. Their shoes are completely natural and made with the upmost respect for the environment.

Julia Slouv Shoe by Think

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.