Green Lifestyle: Pikolinos Shoes
When it comes to 'green' home products, shoes might literally be the last thing to come to mind. But here at Green Home Source, sometimes we like to highlight some of the items we enjoy and use in our own daily lives.
Because living a 'green' lifestyle isn't simply about the building materials that surround us; it also incorporates what we eat, what we wear, how we work, and how we play. And when it comes to footwear, we simply love Pikolinos shoes. While they're not a household name like Nike or Hush Puppies, this shoe company from Spain gets our Green Home Source Seal of Approval.
Pikolinos Shoes: A Brief History
Pikolinos was started in Spain in 1984 by Juan Peran, who continues to lead the company today. The company expanded in 1989 to international markets, and opened their first retail stores in 2002. By focusing on quality and style, Pikolinos continues to be a worldwide leader in footwear, with an added emphasis on giving back to those in need.
The Pikolinos Philosophy
Pikolinos infuses every shoe it makes with a unique personality. Their shoes take their design cues from the laid-back Mediterranean lifestyle. They are extremely comfortable, and are built to last.
Pikolinos uses only the finest leathers available for their shoes. Every aspect of what makes Pikolinos shoes so unique comes from the high-quality leather they are made of, and the natural care that goes into their production. Pikolinos uses a special, all-natural leather treatment that creates shoes that tread lightly on the earth, which is one reason we love to wear them.
Where most leather processing uses toxic chemicals, the Pikolinos process uses no chromium; only vegetable-based dyes and water-based glues. Better for the planet, better for the workers that make them, and better for you. Because of this natural leather treatment, Pikolinos calls their shoes "Naturally Good."
The Pikolinos Social Responsibility Philosophy
To us, it takes more than a good product to make a good company. Being a good company, even a great compny, requires more: attention to quality, environmental stewardship, and special responsibilities to employees and the world at large. A company, even one with fantastic products, that fails to be a good corporate neighbor doesn't warrant our attention. Again, this is a reason why we're happy to wear Pikolinos.Values matter as much as product. Here are some of the ways that Pikolinos gives back:
Juan Peran Pikolinos Foundation: The Foundation was created in 2007 as a way for founder Juan Peran to give something back to the society that has so greatly benefitted him. Operating in countries from Spain to Kenya, more than 16,000 families benefit from various initiatives. Learn more about the Foundation's work HERE.
Pikolinos Maasai Project: The work of the Juan Peron Pikolinos Foundation led to the founding in 2009 of the Maasai Project. This line of ethnically-inspired footwear is crafted by the women of the Masaai community in Kenya. This line of shoes, and other products, provides decent jobs to these deserving women. Click HERE to view the lovely Maasai Design Collection.
Commitment to Environmental Quality: As mentioned earlier, Pikolinos pays special attention to its environmental impacts. They lead the industry through their use of toxic-free, chromium-free leathers, natural dyes and water-based glues.
Pikolinos is also leading the way in reducing the amount of waste their production facilities create, with an end goal of zero-waste.
Pikolinos: The Perfect Fit
Shoes. We all wear them. We all need them. As with any product we bring into our lives, from an environmental perspective it's important to assess shoes with special attention to their, and their manufacturers', impacts. We have worn Pikolinos shoes for many years; as a testament to their quality and durability, we have several pairs over a decade old, still going strong! Their comfortability and laid-back design have made them our favorites. In a throwaway, here today-gone tomorrow society, it's nice to know that there are companies out there that still stand for quality.
A shoe that lasts for ten years, and longer, is a shoe that doesn't need to be replaced very often. That keeps an enormous amount of waste out of our landfills, and reduces the energy needed to constantly be producing new shoes. We love that. And we can't help but love the fact that Pikolinos makes such long-lasting, cool-looking shoes and is also devoted to giving something back to the world in the form of its environmental stewardship and foundation intiatives.
To learn more about PIkolinos, visit their website HERE. To shop for Pikolinos shoes online, visit Amazon HERE.
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