Stylish and Eco-Friendly Simple Shoes
A couple weeks ago I noticed a pair of shoes that a friend of mine was wearing. They were exactly what I was looking for—basic white slip-on sneakers for summer. I asked her what kind they were, and she told me they were Simple shoes. I promptly ordered a pair of Take On elastic lace sneakers ($55) online from Simple Shoes' website. They're good looking and with elastic laces, really easy to slip on and off. I was so impressed with them that I had to look into them a little more.
Simple shoes are, as the name implies, simple, basic, stylish, and comfortable shoes. Not only do they look good and feel good on your feet, but you can feel good about wearing them, too. They're made with recycled, eco-friendly, and sustainable materials like recycled car tires, inner tubes, and plastic, organic cotton, natural latex rubber, hemp, and bamboo. Simple Shoes also maintain ethical supply-chain standards, meaning no forced or child labor, and adequate wages, hours, and health and safety conditions for their workers.
Since my kids needed new shoes (at the rate they grow, when don't they…) I ordered some Simple sneakers for them, too. My daughter's girls' Take On sneakers ($45), in show white, have cute purple ruffled ribbon laces that I've never seen anywhere but on Simple shoes. Even though we haven't taught her how to tie her shoes yet, she apparently figured out how to do it on her own within a couple minutes of owning these shoes. Needless to say, I'm impressed.
My son loves his boys' Satire sneakers ($42), in chocolate chip. They're comfy and sturday, with eco-certified suede uppers, and kind of look like a cross between Vans and Converse All-Stars. All of our sneakers have soles made from 40% recycled car tires and 60% natural rubber, as well as certfied organic cotton linings.
In Marin County, you can find Simple Shoes at REI and Nordstrom, both in Corte Madera. I ordered all our shoes online from www.simpleshoes.com, where you can see their complete line of footwear for women, children, and men, and learn more about them. They offer free shipping on orders of $50 or more and free return shipping in case they don't fit.
