Let's consider the anatomy of a shoe. The average sneaker, for example, contains about 20 different components (insole, outsole, eyelets, tongue, laces, etc.), and each component contains any number of processed raw materials, like plastic, rubber, leather, cotton, or metal. In order to put all those materials together and make them look like a shoe, you need glues, dyes, and other toxic chemicals. Not only does creating a shoe involve harvesting and shipping hundreds of different materials from all over the world, but the industrial manufacturing process is often energy-hungry and wasteful.
That's why we were über-excited to discover the Mi?ēn water shoe. Light, comfortable and hearty, these shoes are great for kayaking, rafting, or trekking through the woods on a rainy day. But the best part about this functional footwear is its eco-friendly design. Thanks to a conscientious R&D department, these shoes are created using fewer raw materials and are manufactured with 90% less waste than the average sports shoe. Also, the company purchases energy credits from wind turbines to offset 100% of the energy used to produce their products. Even the box is recycled (and, in the interest of full disclosure, stamped with an EcoMetrics label). But Mi?ēn’s commitment to the environment goes beyond their products: they've also created the Mi?ēn Solutions Environmental Film Awards to honor filmmakers who bring environmental issues into the public eye (winners will be announced in a few days at the Outdoor Retailer conference in Salt Lake City, UT).
Want to see more green-leaning footwear? Check out the October/November issue of Plenty, due out next month, for a list of our favorite eco-friendly boots.
Send your product ideas to greengear@plentymag.com.
