Image via EcoBlog.
I’ve bought two new pairs of shoes in the past four months. Sure, this may not sound excessive to all you shoe mavens out there. But for me, a minimalist who waits until every single toe is popping out of her socks to shell out the cash for another pair of warm-and-fuzzies, two shoes in four months is unheard of. These purchases proved necessary, though, as they were completely dead.
Well, not literally dead. Dead as in my entire foot would get drenched from walking in the rain because the sole of my shoe was so worn. Plenty of shoes out there, though, are quite literally dead, produced with the skin of cows, pigs, goats, sheep, and exotic animals like alligators and ostriches. Definitely not something I’m comfortable putting on my feet.
Deja design from Beyond Skin.
The vegan shoe market, however, has grown exponentially over the past few years – just check out MooShoes co-founder Erica Kubersky and her fabulous foot creations on Episode 16 of the Our Hen House TV show! Crafted from animal-free and environmentally friendly synthetic materials, today’s vegan shoes won’t disappoint with their impeccable quality, fashionable aesthetic, and coherence with an anti-speciesist lifestyle. And, if you haven’t yet waved bye-bye to those old leather boots in your cloest, supplying yourself with a pair of high-quality vegan shoes may be a prime way to ring in the New Year.
One vegan shoe producer that we at Our Hen House are thrilled to bring to your attention is the Brighton, UK-based company Beyond Skin. Working with some of the finest, animal-free, and recycled fabrics and collaborating with their factories and suppliers in Spain to ensure the lowest possible carbon footprint for their shoes, the folks at Beyond Skin offer consciously crafted, comfortable, and absolutely gorgeous footwear for fancy and casual occasions alike.
Alice design from Beyond Skin.
Excitingly, last year Beyond Skin launched a design competition in coordination with the ubiquitous animal advocacy organization PETA (speaking of, have you heard our interview with PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk on Episode 256 of the Our Hen House podcast?). The competition sought shoe designs from budding (vegan) cordwainers around the world, and Beyond Skin chose fashion student Alice Lambert-Gorwyn’s entry as the design-to-become-a-reality. Handmade in Spain from Italian-sourced, 100% vegan microfiber suede and a faux-reptile-print polyurethane, Alice’s shoes are now available at the Beyond Skin online store, and 10% of the pre-tax profits from each sale will be donated to PETA.
Lucy design from Beyond Skin.
Have all these photos of Beyond Skin’s phenomenal shoes tantalized you enough? Well, lucky you, because the Beyond Skin team has offered a free pair of shoes for one lucky Our Hen House reader! And you don’t even have to be a Flock member to enter the giveaway (but Flock members should definitely read on for another exciting offer just for ya’ll!). Simply click on this link provided by Beyond Skin, enter your information, and eagerly wait until January 9 to hear if you’ve won. In the meantime, why not tempt yourself a little bit more by browsing through the Beyond Skin online store? Oh, and be sure to sign up for the Beyond Skin email newsletter to receive a code for £10 (that’s about $15) off of your first order!
Happy New Year!
Cheers,
Alessandra, OHH Media Coordinator
(Flock, read on!)
#PRIVATE#
Okay, Flock – just us now. In addition to the giveaway, Beyond Skin is also generously offering free shipping and a 10% discount on any item in the Beyond Skin online store (even items already on sale!) to Our Hen House Flock members. Simply enter the codes “OHHFreeship” and “OHH10” at checkout for free shipping and 10% off, respectively. The codes are both valid from now through the end of January. Happy shopping! #PRIVATE#