GUIDE TO PUTTING YOUR
Best Foot Forward As you walk or run towards eco-fying your life, each small step for you is a giant leap for our world. Find your way to happy feet, as you thumb (or toe) though the following pages.
Content, product testing and layout by Borden Communications + Design
Tread a little lighter The below are not big feats, they are more like a walk in the park! Run through them and we know you’ll have happy feet!
Put your best foot forward A passionate, informed, persuasive and committed champion can be an effective cheerleader and major force in creating healthier and happier lifestyles - choose to lead by example.
Use ‘em if you got ‘em Walking is healthy - it’s good exercise, it’s time to clear your head, it’s something to do alone or with friends and you can travel by foot rather than in a car.
Run straight for the right pair The dirt of the shoe industry is on every sole - the majority of our shoes are mass-produced by Chinese factory workers at a huge cost to our health and environment. During the manufacturing process, workers are exposed to toxic chemicals (VOCs) and our water and air is horridly polluted. Great strides have been made by some companies to be more “green” and others have always been responsible (you’ll find a few in the next pages). Always try and reward the efforts of the responsible companies. It’s worth it for all of us. (Pay attention to packaging also - it’s great to see post consumer waste being used to make smaller shoe boxes without toxic inks, and get creative and reuse them!)
Shoes off (to this idea) Think of your kids crawling around in your home on pesticides, road oil and gas and assorted outdoor gunk. The professional cleaning industry believes that 85% of indoor dirt is tracked in from the outdoors on our shoes and pet paws. In a warning about lead exposure, the EPA specifically recommends that shoes remain outside the house. Just remove them at the door - your house will stay cleaner, toxins won't come in, and you’ll have an excuse to buy new (eco) slippers!
What do your shoes want to be when they grow up? Your shoes can be anything they want to be if you let them! Nike collects all brands of worn-out athletic shoes (over 20 million so far) and they use them to make running tracks, playgrounds and more. Check their website for updates.
Let someone else walk a mile in your shoes Even if you think those old soles are passe, someone else might be thrilled to wear them. As with anything, buy smart and buy less, and don’t save any of them for a rainy day (unless they are your rain boots - made with natural materials or recycled tires, of course!). Do a simple search online and you’ll find many local programs and shoe stores that organize shoe drives or donate to women’s shelters in need...you can also run your own program through your school or organization.
If you want to walk fast, walk alone. If you want to walk far, walk together. ~Proverb more inspiration + information on how we can work together to make a difference at www.lisabordenworks.com
Slip Me Ons No matter your shoe size, these slip ons are good for your soles and good for the soul.
Po-Zu
Kigo Footwear
www.po-zu.com
www.kigofootwear.com
These fashionable yet functional
Run, walk, or hike outside feeling
booties, made from wool and
like you’re going “au natural” (on
natural latex with coconut husk
your feet of course!). These
soles, might be the comfiest things
lightweight, breathable, strong,
your feet will ever slide into. It’s
and foldable shoes offer strong
time this amazing eco shoe line
support for any serious sports
(designed for maximum comfort
enthusiast, and you don’t have to
and minimum waste) walk
worry about retying your laces.
themselves into your closet - they
Really nice, very conscious people
ship worldwide, with a smile.
are behind this brand too!
more inspiration + information on how we can work together to make a difference at www.lisabordenworks.com
Run Away with Me From the sidewalk to the steep hills, you can sport these runners through any season.
Evo by Vivobarefoot
Oat Shoes
www.vivobarefoot.com
www.oatshoes.com
This running shoe lets your feet
These runners with funky tree-
move the way they are supposed to.
designed soles are easy on the eyes,
The entire Vivobarefoot line has all
easy on the feet, and easy on
the protection of normal shoes, yet
Mother Nature. And, when your
all the health benefits of going
first pair of Virgins are ready for
barefoot. Just by wearing, you'll
retirement and you need a new
strengthen the muscles in your
pair, you can actually bury these
feet, realign your posture, stimulate
fully biodegradable shoes in your
sensory perception and get
garden, water regularly, and grow
compliments. Good deal. Plus they
your favourite flowers grow in your
are certified vegan - we’re not sure
old kicks!
if it’ll make you run faster, but ethics are ethics!
more inspiration + information on how we can work together to make a difference at www.lisabordenworks.com
Flip Floppin’ It’s time to show some skin. Go on bare feet, say hello to summer and goodbye to winter socks.
Feelgoodz
Xero Shoes
www.feelgoodz.com
www.xeroshoes.com
Feel good about your flops. When
This unique and innovative sandal
you buy your new pair of 100%
has a strong yet incredibly thin
natural rubber flip flops from
sole, and you can actually go
Feelgoodz (that come in a variety of
running in them! Barefoot
great colour combos and are crazy
footwear claims you use the
comfortable), recycle your old ones
natural shock-absorbing, spring-
(all brands welcome) to Feelgoodz
like mechanism of your body which
Recycle Your unFlop campaign.
prevents injuries. Big bonus, you
They donate the shoes to Kenyan
can tie them up in a variety of
artisans who reuse them and make
ways, so it’s like buying 100 pairs
new ones.
of sandals in 1 - very eco!
more inspiration + information on how we can work together to make a difference at www.lisabordenworks.com
Funky Feet Whether you’re feeling like romance or like a rock star, let your shoes tell the story.
El Naturalista
Swedish Hasbeens
www.elnaturalista.com
www.swedishhasbeens.com
Because the journey is just as
Lace up with these genuine
important as the destination, let
handcrafted boots made with
yourself get swept away in a pair of
vegetable tanned leather and
these summery mary-janes. With
cotton canvas. All Swedish
company values deeply rooted in
Hasbeens’ leather is completely
environmental and social
free of chromium (bad for us and
responsibility, their shoes were
the planet, and is unfortunately
designed to make you feel really
found in 95% of leather shoes). It’s
good about every step you take
natural rubber sole is perfect
towards a better tomorrow, plus
taking you down a forest trail or
they use fabulous colour
rocking the night away at your
combinations and a unique style.
favourite band’s live show.
more inspiration + information on how we can work together to make a difference at www.lisabordenworks.com
Twinkle Toes There’s no need to sacrifice style for sustainability
Mink
NAE Vegan
www.minkshoes.com
www.nae-vegan.com
A great pair of heels that will stand
We’ll take stylish, well-designed,
the test of time is definitely worth
and ethical over trendy any day.
the investment (softer on our feet,
This fashion forward pump is made
our pocketbooks, and our world).
in the Portugal with cork. No
All Mink shoes are handcrafted
Animal Exploitation (NAE) proposes
from the finest quality vegan
a fair and animal-friendly
materials. These strappy gold
alternative, against human
sandals, like the rest of their line, is
exploitation and respecting the
only offered in very limited
environment. These heels pair
production, so you can have a shoe
perfectly with your little black
as unique and conscious as you are.
dress or favourite organic denim.
more inspiration + information on how we can work together to make a difference at www.lisabordenworks.com
Sole Staples For the man who values quality over quantity
VEJA
No Harm
www.veja-store.com
www.noharm.com
Whether you’re about to go on a
There are times when only a pair of
first date, or it’s casual dress at the
classic handcrafted Italian oxford
office, it’s important to make a
style shoes know how to get the
good impression. This shoe says
job done. These vegan, footprint-
you have style, you make smart
conscious, black straight caps with
decisions, you’re eco-conscious, and
a gloss finish bang it out of the
you care about your health (a
park for style, comfort, and
totally irresistible combo!). Plus,
breathability. Bonus, they’re
wearing these shoes will keep you
packaged in biodegradable boxes
comfortable even in the toughest
printed with safe inks, for style and
situations.
class through and through.
more inspiration + information on how we can work together to make a difference at www.lisabordenworks.com
Healthy Hose Because it’s important to be healthy and beautiful on the inside too
Minga Berlin
Zkano
www.mingaberlin.com
www.zkano.com
Don’t get caught in an
There are few things more cozy
embarrassing situation where you
than slipping into a pair of super
need to remove your shoes and
soft, clean socks. But as the
expose your sports socks with
Organic Trade Association calls
holes! With Minga Berlin’s wide
conventional cotton “the world’s
variety of organic men’s and
dirtiest crop” the only way to have
women’s fashion socks, you’ll be
truly clean socks is to go organic.
looking for any excuse to take off
It’s natural to only want the best
your shoes (always important at the
for your feet. Zkano makes all of
front door to leave the outdoor
their socks in the USA, which make
gunk where it belongs) and show
them even kinder and softer to
off your colourful personality.
your feet and our world!
more inspiration + information on how we can work together to make a difference at www.lisabordenworks.com
Tender Tootsies A little TLC for your toes
Aquarella
Sigrid Naturals
www.aquarella.com
www.sigridnaturals.com
If you’re going to bare your toes
Give your feet some much needed,
during the summer or while on
and well deserved relief and care
vacation, and you don’t want truly
with this uber-rich healing foot
natural, nude toes (which are
butter that’s lightly infused with
healthiest!), then make sure they
pure essential oils, and formulated
are painted safely. This non-toxic,
to leave your skin feeling revived
water-based formula looks as good
and balanced. It's handmade with
as it’s conventional counterpart,
love by a small company,
and if you don’t fall head over heels
something else to feel good about.
for it they’ll give you your money
Bonus, your hands will benefit from
back, and it doesn't stink when you
all of the nourishing ingredients
are applying it!
after giving your feet a good rub!
more inspiration + information on how we can work together to make a difference at www.lisabordenworks.com
!
WARNING
HIGHLY ADDICTIVE
Have a Thing for Feet? Reflexology’s origins reach
REFLEXOLOGY CAN:
back to ancient
relieve stress
Egypt. It is based
relax tension
on the principle
improve nerve
that there are reflex areas in the feet and hands that correspond to all the glands, organs and parts of your body.
transmission improve circulation help the body to normalize make you happy
more inspiration + information on how we can work together to make a difference at www.lisabordenworks.com
What does Lisa Borden do? www.lisabordenworks.com