Sunday, August 29, 2010

Shoes with a conscience


You may know by now that...I'm obsessed with shoes!

Unlike pants, I seldom have an issue fitting into shoes.

I'm willing to pay more for shoes that have not only a nice style, but comfort and quality.

Enter into the picture Naya Shoes. Have no clue what I'm talking about? Stick around and be impressed.

Naya is a forward thinking, eco-friendly shoe company. You can follow them on Twitter too!

Naya uses natural and eco-friendly materials:
  • Vegetable-tanned leathers and linings
  • Natural or recycled content fabrics
  • Water-based cements
  • Footbeds containing natural cork
  • Boxes made with 80% recycled paper pulp, soy-based inks and water-based glue
The comfort is oh.so.comfortable!

"We infuse each style with pure comfort using soft leathers, breathable leather linings and layers of premium cushioning."

As Naya says: Good for you and for the Earth!

I first stumbled on Naya at Sears (shock!). Yes, that's right, I saw their shoes on display and was instantly drawn to the craftsmanship and array of vivid shoe colours...yellow shoes (see below) and green shoes, among others. Nicely designed and with great attention to detail, all for a reasonable price point.


I tried on a pair and was reveling in the soft, cushiony insole and how butter soft the leather was. Very soft leather means no blister or sore spots. So I purchased a pair of their gladiator sandals back in June and I have been living in these sandals all Summer! Not a single blister I tell you.


A few weeks ago, Naya sent out a Tweet asking their followers if anybody would like to review their Fall shoes on their blog. Being a shoe fanatic and having previously owned (and loved!) a pair of Naya shoes, I offered to review a pair of Naya shoes from the Fall line. I am writing this review without payment and without an exchange of free merchandise. Just because I love shoes!

Naya has launched their Fall line and after I perused their on-line Fall catalogue, I instantly swooned over several pairs of their shoes. The one shoe design in particular, which caught my eye was the oxford-style shoe or as it is named in the Naya catalogue "Jasper." (Btw, these shoes are not mine, I'm borrowing them for this write up!)




What a stunning, vintage-inspired design. Satiny ribbon laces. The trademark Naya soft cushion sole is evident as soon as you slide your foot in the shoe. The exterior of the shoe reminded me of a modern, feminine version of the saddle shoe, but instead of the classic two-tone black and white, there are two contrasting materials: wool and leather. It's very feminine yet tailored. Perfect for this Fall's tweed or woolen pant suits. The heel is almost 3 inches high (way higher than I tend to wear) but it didn't feel very high (when I tried it on) probably due to the chunky heel. The heel also has a rustic look to it, further adding to it's vintage charm. Think 1900s Victorian boot meets 1940s glam.


If you're not feeling the rustic wood heel? That's okay because Naya has plenty of different shoes for you to choose from. Check out their Fall line. Try on a pair and you will be glad you did. Sleep peacefully knowing you are doing something good for your feet and for the environment.

"Renewing body, spirit, earth"