Simple Eco Kicks

Written by Sarah McClure for Your Daily Thread

Sneaks that Tread Lightly

Simple was born from doing things as the name suggests – simply – from materials and manufacturing to the design process. Amid over-hyped styles (recall that crop of bold candy-colored Air Jordans and Reebok Pumps?), the Santa Barbara sneaker company, early on, pursued something more unique to the industry: sneakers that offered both sustainability and style. “When people think of eco-friendly shoes they think of something made with granola or hemp, not a killer pair of sneaks,” says Simple’s marketing manager Will Pennartz. Killer styles include the Gumshoe and Tubas.

Trial and error with sustainable methods paved the way to less-impactful models over the years like Green Toe, ecoSNEAKS (garnering them the first-ever Footwear Plus Green Award) and Planet Walkers. “When we create shoes, we ask ourselves what are the best sources we can use to make [them] the least impactful as possible,” says Pennartz, adding that they believe they can do good business by making the right choices.

Two Decades of Walking the Walk

Much of the brand’s success has come from a refusal to play by the shoe industry’s rulebook of offering wasteful products. This year, Simple’s latest integrations were recycled wool and BIO.D. Upcycled from used clothing across the globe, wool is color divided, de-thread and re-thread for shoes like Carport Elastics. The ingredient BIO.D, will now biodegrade soles in 20 years—versus conventional soles that sit up to 1,000 years in landfills. “We want to create a change we believe in and that change is to create a place that is better than where we started,” says Pennartz.

20 Years of Eco Strides

2005: Green Toe introduced; two styles include Loaf (slip on) and Shuf (felted wool clog) made from cork, natural latex, jute, crate rubber, felted wool and cork.

2006: Reduced packaging to bare minimum with 100-percent, post-consumer “pulp,” biodegradable cornstarch bags (for flip flop) and soy-based printing ink. Bamboo lining replaces jute.

2007: ecoSneaks introduced; made with plastic bottle-turned laces and certified organic cotton “pedbed” lining. Recycled car tire soles added.

2008: PlanetWalkers introduced; made with eco-certified leather and suede. Hemp, recycled bike/car tire and inner tubes added.

2009: Silk, carpet padding and shoes assembled without glue introduced. Ethical Supply Chain Guidelines implemented. Vegan-friendly options like the Satire and Carat, introduced.

These SoCal sneaker folks are getting it plain and simple. Approaching its 20th year, Simple, the “shoes for a happy planet” company, will continue tackling greener ambitions, one sustainable pair at a time.

Curious about our favorites? Check out Take-On Hi, because high tops, like going green, never goes out of style.

* Sarah McClure is a blog contributor at Simple Shoes.