I got the most amazing pair of shoes I've ever owned.They're Spanish. Hand stitched in Galicia. From recycled leather, with recycled rubber shock absorbers in the heel. With the softest, softest. softest, foot-shaped, anti-bacterial insoles. Also recycled. Which lie over a recycled cork sole.
The leather is dyed with tree bark and natural extracts, then greased on with olive oil.
I shit you not.
The shoe is designed to put pressure on the reflexology points of the foot. The shoe is actually wide where your foot widens to encompass all five toes. It's like slipping your feet into bed after a long long day. When I tried them on, my back actually sort of sank into alignment with a sigh of relief.
Really funky green colour too, with cool stitching on the front.
A sort of flamenco version of the birkenstock.
Croc et all their moulded plastic buddies can kiss my ass. I am comfy, trendy, and oh so environmentally friendly.
The shoes all have funky names. My shoes are called Iggdrasil, which is the Scandinavian Tree of Life.
Here's a clip from their website. It's terribly happy clappy, but I do like websites that have green stuff and links to green organisations and congratulate staff for having babies and welcoming new members to the frog family, so I will be buying their terribly funky shoes forever:
The brand El Naturalista [The Naturalist] originates from La Rioja (Spain), a fertile, prosperous land known for its artisan shoemakers since ancient times. They know their trade, their quality and how to strike a healthy balance between tradition and modernity. Our products, however, are meant to be universal at El Naturalista we know nothing about frontiers, we are natives of the world and speak the language of plants, animals, water and stones.
Our name expresses a different way of thinking and acting. Being a “naturalist” entails respect for a rich, profound philosophy that lays its trust in life and attributes everything to Nature as a primeval driving force.
Our symbol, the frog, represents a land made fertile by water and it is meant to embody simple, worldly pleasures. In psychoanalytic theory, this animal, as an oneiric being, has a very positive connotation: agile and lively, it suggests adaptability and dynamism. The frog represents the permanent struggle against stagnation and shows the non-conforming nature of those who never shrink before difficulties.
And best of all, because I bought them in Canada, they weren't terribly expensive.
You can get them in Soulmates in Carrick on Shannon, apparently. I'd love to know how much they cost in Ireland.
And Hulit's in Princeton, NJ.
2 comments:
While they are no doubt lovely shoes, their blurb has put me right off.
I too have no time for birkenstocks or crocs. I am devoted to ecco and high heels.
But there appear to be none for blokes who don't like musical theatre. They sound so nice.
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