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I, Elizabeth Weinstein, Marketplace Editor, am a self-proclaimed stuff-lover, and the child of two stuff-lovers. At the age of four, I proudly declared “I want too much!” The subject, at the time, was butter. But it could be said that the notion has carried over to cookbooks, sunglasses, white tee-shirts, vases, and, my lifelong love, shoes — the subject of our newsletter this week, specifically the super-trendy, white-as-pear-blossoms tennis shoes we want to wear in the warm months ahead.
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No, this is not me. But a great pair of white tennies makes me feel almost this cool. – Hans Gerber, Creative Commons
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I own, well, a few dozen pairs of shoes. Before you judge me too harshly, know that I’ve had some of these for a decade for more, thanks to help from the cobbler. When I do buy new shoes, I try to ask the same questions that I ask about anything I buy regarding sustainability. For details, see my notes below.* That said, the questions must also include:Â
Are they cute? This all comes down to taste, but we think we chose fashionably.Â
Do they feel good? Or, at the very minimum, “are they foot-shaped?” — my mother’s extremely sensible threshold for shoe buying, and one that a shocking number of brands fail to meet.Â
Buying new products always has a (planetary) cost, and now is when I remind you that we call this the BuyBetter newsletter, not the BuyPerfect newsletter. But, the nine brands I’ve chosen to highlight all make good-looking, comfortable sneakers that have a lower impact than the vast majority of the shoes on the market. So, if you do decide to get yourself some new kicks today, you can feel good about it. Happy browsing!
–Elizabeth Weinstein, Marketplace Editor
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We sent you this as a Bluedot Living newsletter subscriber. Please click here to continue receiving the BuyBetter newsletter every other Monday.
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Bluedot’s Favorite White Sneakers
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Bluedot Living’s Marketplace Monday newsletter features items we believe in. When you make a purchase through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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*So. About those questions I like to ask
before I
buy shoes (and other things)
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What are they made of?
“Vegan leather” sounds virtuous, but it’s often just code for “plastic.” Seek out recycled and upcycled plastics, organic cotton, natural rubber, and bio-based materials like sugarcane and eucalyptus. With animal products, look for wool, or for leather sourced from tanneries certified (ideally Silver or Gold) by the Leather Working Group.
How do they impact the planet?
Let’s consider carbon: According to the sustainability consulting group, Quantis, the footwear industry releases 700 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, accounting for 1.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Allbirds
offsets as much carbon as it generates and is certified Climate Neutral. Veja conducted an incredibly thorough study into its own emissions and is enacting meaningful change because of it, like no longer air-freighting shoes.
What happens when they no longer serve me?
Lots of companies have started resale programs, as well as trade-in programs that give consumers discounts when returning old shoes. Old Thousand Fell shoes can be returned for $20 off the next pair. Even more impressive: Unless Collective’s entirely bio-based sneaker can be composted (with some mechanical help) and turned into soil or plant food.
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And, friendly reminder, please don’t toss old shoes!
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Instead, consider:
Taking them to the cobbler to be reheeled, resoled, repaired, or shinedÂ
Posting them on your local Buy Nothing group on Facebook
Donating them: see where in Bluedot’s Guide to Getting Rid of (Almost) Anything
Checking out this list of great ideas from Sustainable JungleÂ
Giving them to your dog, who will have the time of his life (but don’t blame us if he eats your new shoes, too)
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Please feel free to send photos of your dog, thoughts on sustainable shoes, or any other musings our way by emailing marketplace@bluedotliving.com. And thanks so much for joining us.Â
–Elizabeth
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Elizabeth Weinstein, Bluedot’s Marketplace Editor, lives in Manhattan with her husband; her papillon, Finley; and her cats, SanDeE* and Modell. When she’s not asking the folks at Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom to try on all of their sustainable sneakers in a size 9½, she can be found at the Union Square Greenmarket or gardening on her rooftop terrace.
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