This season, put a spring into your step with a pair of Earth shoes! There’s so much to love – from their padded heels, multiple layers of cushioning and arch support, to their leather-lined insoles – you can’t beat the comfort of Earth!
An inspiration that began in 1957, the Earth brand has long-stood for comfort and support. The creator, Anne Kalso was moved to design shoes with a negative heel, being strongly influenced by her passion for yoga. After witnessing the way that Brazilians walk – carrying most of their weight in their heels, and very little in their toes– she recognized the similarities in the ‘Mountain’ pose, traditionally called Tadasana. Acknowledging the improvement in her posture, as well as the way her breathing passages opened, she was motivated to design shoes that captured the same placement and support that she felt in that position. Upon her return to Denmark, she sought out a Portuguese shoemaker to assist in the creation of her dream. This process took 10 years, but their hard work paid off. What began as a small store front in Copenhagen, has spread to over a hundred retail locations in the United States, as well as many locations in Japan, Canada, Italy and Australia. Since then, the Earth brand still makes shoes with a negative heel, but not as many as they used to. Instead, this design has been delegated to a specific line of their shoes, Kalso Earth, which has extended the opportunity for several other lines (without the negative heel characteristic) to win even more favor with their clientele, including Earthies, Earth Origins, and their main line – our personal favorite – Earth Shoes.
Not only does this brand feel and look great, they also give back to those around them – from donating shoes to Soles4Souls, and participating in Cradles to Crayons, to planting a tree for every pair of shoes that is purchased. Their warehouse partner, Sole Technology, is determined to be carbon neutral, and continues to make great strides toward this venture, from limiting energy and water usage, to continuous recycling.
Additionally, they use water-based adhesives on their footwear, which is not as harmful to the environment and the individuals who are making the shoes. Their shoeboxes are glue and staple-free (with hinge style lids to reduce waste), and the shoes themselves are dyed using a vegetable tanning process. Though this tends to take a bit longer than other artificial dye procedures, it is less toxic all around, and another way that Earth is making an impact.
When you step into a pair of Earth shoes, you can rest knowing that not only are you going to be comfortable, happy, and well-supported, but that you’re also supporting a wonderful company as well!
Your Missing Sock,
@elmshoes #itfits