Dressed to Give: Shoes, shoes, shoes!

Every fashionista has an accessory weakness, whether it be bags, jewelry, scarves or hats. Well, mine is, without a doubt, SHOES! If you find yourself constantly structuring your outfits around your footwear, then you definitely belong in the same category. For all my fellow shoe addicts, this post highlights some fun ways to give back or minimize your carbon footprint (pun intended), all while getting your shoe "fix"! Enjoy!

• In this month's Lucky Magazine's Green Issue, they feature a pair of fabulous flats made from plastic-coated recycled newspaper from All Black. What makes these "Hot News" flats even cooler is that they're waterproof, too!


• For more shoes from recycled materials, check out GreenSoul Shoes, whose sandals are made from 100% recycled rubber from old tires. GreenSoul Shoes has partnered with local artisans in Southeast Asia and South America to construct their sandals, ensuring that they support local communities and economies. As if all this wasn't enough, for every pair of sandals purchased, GreenSouls will also donate a pair to one of the 300 million children in the world who are shoeless.


• TOMS Shoes is another footwear company that has a strong commitment to providing underpriviledged children with shoes through their One for One initiative. For every pair of their casual, slip-on style shoes you purchase, TOMS will give a pair to a child in need. So far, they've given over 50,000 pairs of shoes to kids in South Africa and 10,000 to children in Argentina. For more info on how you can get involved, check out their blog, follow them on Twitter, or become a fan on Facebook.


• If you're looking to donate shoes rather than purchase a pair for yourself, Soles4Souls is a charity providing new or gently used shoes to those in need. They receive shoe donations from footwear companies, retailers and individuals and distribute them to people around the world affected by disasters like Hurricane Katrina or the tsunami in Southeast Asia, to homeless shelters, and to those who live in underpriviledged areas. In addition to collecting used shoes, Soles4Souls allows you to buy flip flops ($6 for 3 pairs) or clogs ($10 for 1 pair) online to donate to someone in need. There are many other ways to take action, such as hosting a fundraising event or a shoe drive. Visit their site for more ideas!

I'm so inspired by these fabulously philanthropic organizations that I'm making a commitment to donate a pair of shoes (online or a used pair) every time I buy a new pair for myself. How will you get involved? Know of any other shoe companies or organizations who are doing good? Please share!

Tags |

• Active Citizenship
• Corporate Responsibility
• conservation
• consumer philanthropy
• dressed to give
• environmentally friendly
• greensoul shoes
• lucky magazine
• shoes
• soles4souls
• toms shoes