Eco-Gifting for the Holidays: Boots

Boots and shoes can be some of the most wasteful products that anyone can purchase. There are a number of reasons for this, but there are one big factor that contributes to this more than anything else: materials.

Not only are the materials that go into shoes and boots super wasteful, but it’s absolutely amazing how many pairs of shoes the average westerner goes through in a year. In many countries around the world, people will have the same pair of boots or shoes for years at a time. In the west, we sort of just toss our shoes once they start to show signs of wear– in these other countries people will just fix the shoes.

To help defray the amount of materials that go into the manufacture of all these shoes, people are looking into buying footwear made out of recycled materials. This field is mostly led by companies like Keens and Timberland who have really set the bar on recycled footwear. These companies have not only been dealing in these shoes for quite some time, but they’ve also been proponents of the shift toward more sustainable manufacturing of shoes worldwide.

If you’re trying to find something for a woman in your life that is looking for something a little more environmentally responsible, you really can’t go wrong with the Timberland Women’s Earthkeepers Granby Tall ZipBoots. These are really great boots for a number of reasons. First of all, they are made out of post-consumer materials. Second of all, they are actually really good looking boots. The reality is that a lot of people think that any type of clothing or footware that is made out of recycled materials will look clunky and strange. These boots are very good looking and they’re really durable. They’re also one of the most popular models of recycled boots out there, with Timberland claiming that it’s one of their best selling boots.

Boots like this are a great example of how recycled materials can be used to make quality products. The old prejudices against these types of clothes are quickly falling away for a number of reasons. Not only are mentalities shifting about environmental sustainability, but manufacturers are also taking much more care in creating designs that people actually want to be seen in.

jareds | My Bio & Articles

Jared Skye is an environmental scientist and author of sustainability and self-sufficiency themed media.