Eco friendly footwear brands are ten a penny, these days. But things have moved on. Thing is, what is the point of saying your shoe is recyclable when you'd have to be a genius with way too much time on your hands in order to disassemble it so you could pop the component parts in the bin?
I'm pleased to say that there are companies out there that have asked this question themselves and the new shoe brand Urshuz (pronounced Yer Shoes) just launched with an innovative removeable sole. Once you're done, simply remove it and chuck it in the recycling or even better, send it back to Urshuz and they'll recycle it into new soles. Brilliant! You could also replace only the bits of the shoe that wear out, rather than the whole dog n' pony show!
Intrigued by this new concept, I caught up with the designer of Urshuz to ask him some questions......
You seem like an unusual company! As well as the shoes being unique, are there any other ways that your shoe company differs from regular shoe companies? Our slogan is “Change Everything,” and in the process of building this brand, we really did have to change everything about our approach to footwear. Because this product is so unique, we had to re-think things every step of the way, from the way we design our collections, to our production methods, to our merchandising strategy. So really, everything about the way we conduct business is innovative and unique!
How important were ‘green issues’ when you developed this line?From the get-go, Grant (Urshuz Founder and Chief Creative Officer) thought it was important to make his footwear line green in order to reduce its impact on the environment. Because Urshuz are designed with detachable soles, it was obvious that one way he could offer a green shoe was to make our soles recyclable. His vision for green footwear guided his material selection and led him to thermoplastic rubber (TPR), which is 100% recyclable, and is now used to make Urshuz soles.
Why are these shoes better than other eco friendly shoes that are out there? These shoes are different than other eco friendly shoes in two ways. Our product offers consumers a simple, uncomplicated way to recycle. Because the soles and uppers are not attached with any glues, the soles can be easily detached, recycled and reused. We ask that consumers simply send back their worn soles (in exchange for a $5 discount on a future purchase), which we’ll use to make new soles. It’s as easy as that! Our brand has a green conscious, and as we grow, we’d like to improve our product and production methods to make them even more environmentally friendly. Secondly, most if not all eco friendly shoes out there don’t give consumers the option to choose and change their style. We’re offering a product that is green, and promotes creativity and choice!
When can we get these in the UK?Hopefully in the next month. We recently launched our online store and now offer shipping to the United States and Canada, and we’re currently (and hastily!) working on setting up shipping to other areas, including the UK.
Any plans for a womens line? We have a women’s line in development which is expected to debut in 2012. It includes boat shoes, mary janes, and some adorable sandals and flip flops.
For more information and to purchase (and to hassle them about making their womens line available to those of us in the UK *cough* go here www.Urshuz.com
