SilkAir believes we all have a responsibility to contribute to the health of our planet, from recycling things from around the house to saving energy and purchasing decisions. In this issue, we spotlight a new breed of shoe designers whose stylish creations echo sustainable fashion. 

Green Shoes

Hollywood A-Listers wear them, Paris and Milan make way for them and fashion gurus hail them as a breakthrough. So what then makes eco-friendly shoes fashionable?

Old parachutes, leather scraps, bicycle tyres. They're obviously not the typical and most fashionable materials you'll ever want for your shoes, but thanks to technology and growing awareness for eco-friendly fashions, shoemakers are getting more and more creative in their designs in order to cater to a growing clientele of Earth-conscious fashionistas.

Just a few years ago, "eco-friendly" was a word that only a few designers would ever consider to incorporate in their creations. However, when Paris and Milan catwalks openly welcomed the green concept and Hollywood A-Listers such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett and Natalie Portman began to embrace eco-friendly lifestyles, green suddenly shaped up to be the new black, more and more shoe companies ventured into the eco business and ethical fashion became the talk of the town.

From colourful stilettos made from recycled leather to vegan boots and sports shoes made from recycled soles, shoemakers are putting environmental protection at the core of their designs, using sustainable materials and employing eco-friendly processes. Most of these creations are chic, colourful, sexy and durable, trendy and comfotable, but what makes them a real catch is the fact that while you're  being fashionable wearing them, you also help save the environment - and even a few animals from extinction.

Designer Stella McCartney is known for her stylish vegan (products that do not use leather or other animal-derived materials) clothes and shoes. Her stunning creations have always created a buzz and her Spring/Summer 2008 collection, showcasing big handcarved wooden wedges with exquisite bead detailing was no exception. Another designer, Rebecca Brough of Mink, recently showcased her new line of shoes handcrafted in Italy from non-animal products. Some of Mink's bestsellers include the Vulture wedge and the Bat faux patent leather stiletto. Also, there's Charmone's elegant collection that boasts of sexy and colourful designs with exquisite workmanship. The company uses materials free from harmful PVCs, substituting PVC with a light polyurethane coating that is less toxic to the environment. Charmone also employs sustainable practices throughout the production process by using recycled materials for shoeboxes.

Innovative footwear brand Terra Plana also incorporates environmental and social consciousness into its designs, products and manufacturing processes. The company has been bagging numerous awards since Ajoy Sahu of Prada Sport and award-winning designer Asher Clark have led the design team. More recent awards include The Observer's Ethical Fashion Product of the Year in 2007 and Drapers Ethical Footwear Retailer of the Year in 2008.

Terra Plana's Worn Again sub-brand interestingly features trainer shoes made from old parachutes, foam beads, leather scraps from car seats, seat belts, motorbike tyres, rubber soles, t-shirts, jeans and even ex military jackets. Recycling these materials saves on natural resources and reduces the need for landfills.

Mike Corbett, Worn Again's head of product design, says each pair of shoes is unique and that utmost care is given when manufacturing them. "When the design process begins with car parts, bicycle inner tubes and ex army tents, you have to treat these materials with the same respect you would when crafting high quality leathers. Products made using recycled materials will always look unique and individual; no two pairs will look exactly the same. Producing relatively small production run allows us to keep an eye on everything," states Corbett on Worn Again's website.

Sustainability, however, is not only about the materials. It's also about sourcing, manufacturing processes and other decisions that a company makes, says Bok Barrameda of IslandSoul International, a distributor of a wide range of Terra Plana mens and ladies footwear in Singapore, the Philippines and Hongkong. "Not only is there emphasis on eco-friendly materials, but also eco-friendly processes throughout the entire values chain, from shoe design to manufacturing and distribution," he says. "As much as possible, materials are sourced from China - close to Terra Plana's factory in Guangdong - so that the carbon footprint involved in the transport of raw materials is further reduced."

Barrameda adds that Terra Plana even uses a unique stitching design that cuts down on the need for solvent glues, making the shoes extra light, which ultimately translates into shipping cost savings. "We become active and conscious caretakers of the Earth and that's the best advantage of eco-friendly footwear."