Mostly Recycled Shoes from Kigo

When another blogger tipped Conscious Cow off to unique footwear by Kigo, the Cow just had to learn more.

(When folded, the shoe is about the same size as a wallet... super-convenient for urban commuters)

Rachelle Kuramoto, who co-founded the company, answered questions promptly and candidly.

Cow's first concern is: is the unique footwear made from 100% recycled materials?

Rachelle says, "The uppers and liners are recycled, the adhesives are water based, the insoles are EVA (which is not recycled but breaks down more rapidly than other soft–core rubber materials) and the stain treatment is non-toxic and EPA approved. The outsoles are currently the only non-eco friendly material, and we are meeting with the manufacturer this month to discuss a recycled or rice husk rubber option."

Cow's next question, which may be less important to other creatures and really has nothing to do with the 3 R's, is: are these shoes available in purple?

Rachelle says, not yet. "We actually prototyped a purple shoe, and it is still in the rotation, though not immediately. We appreciate the feedback – it helps us to decide how quickly to pull a color into the style lines!"

For taking initiative, making cool shoes (soon available in purple), and striving to improve the eco-footprint, by increasing the content of recycled materials in the product, Conscious Cow awards Kigo footwear 4 COW PIES. (when the outsoles are eco-friendlier, Kigo will get 5...) Bravo, .

Conscious Cow's Faves #1

Let's agree that the best way to reduce trash is to stop buying stuff...

Let's also agree that sometimes, we do need new stuff.

If sandals are something you need, check out these totally Conscious, totally adorable RECYCLED sandals made from rice, detergent and storage bags with a rubber sole.

They are available at Free People online.