Green Cinderella: proof that shoes can change your life

No Compromising: The Importance of Choices

One of the best things about traveling abroad is the new perspective you bring home when it’s all over. I love the excitement of being overseas, so much so that I often forget how great things really are in the US. Having just come home from nearly 3 months away, I am reminded of how incredibly lucky I am to live in a country with such an abundance of choice when it comes to products and services. You CAN always get what you want here, and you don't even have to look that hard to find it.

Choice was the main reason we started Charmoné. When a vegan friend of Lauren’s presented us with the poor choices available in non-leather shoes, we were shocked and outraged. Until a few years ago, the assumption was that strong ethics = no fashion sense. If you didn’t want to wear leather shoes, you simply had to sport ugly, poorly-made or overly casual shoes. There was no choice. And that just seemed so utterly wrong. We asked ourselves- why should people be forced to choose between fashion and ethics? Personally, it makes me crazy when people have to settle for sub-par, especially when the only reason is simply because “it’s always been that way.”

When we created our first collection, we visited several Italian factories to ask if they could/would swap out the leather for high-tech, eco-friendly microfibers. Most of them shrugged their shoulders and said of course it can be done, but why? They were all very skeptical, but like true craftsman they “made it work” as Tim Gunn would say. Each season, we come up with new and unusual materials inspired by people thinking differently and refusing to accept the status quo. And each season we add something to make the shoes greener, more unique and more comfortable! Spring ’08 is our best yet in terms of comfort- our new faux-cork sandals are cushy and soft with just enough height to make you feel “dressed up.” And the Bonnie flats have been my go-to shoe for running to grocery store to enjoy all of the fresh organic choices. Within 1 mile of my house I have access to Whole Foods, Trader Joes and Bristol Farms- how's that for choice?

While we’re on the subject- what new choices would you like to see in fashion/footwear or eco-living? Send your ideas to us at info@charmoneshoes.com. Each person that submits an idea will be entered in a drawing to win a free pair of Charmoné’s- and if the idea is really good we may produce it! Stay tuned and enjoy all the choices in your life!

 

 

Offering Gratitude for my Aussie Adventure

As I prepare to leave Australia after living here for 2 months, I wanted to send some ‘shout outs’ to the people and things I’ve enjoyed most while here. This has almost nothing to do with eco luxury shoes, fashion or green living, but someone told me there was more to life than all that.

Let me start by saying that living abroad was a lot tougher than expected. I tend to think of myself as adventurous. Not in the ‘climbing Mount Everest’ sort of way but at least in the ‘I’m going to start an eco shoe company and go to Italy without knowing any Italian or having any experience’ kind of way. I was so ready to try something new and embrace the experience. What surprised me most was the utter loneliness I felt- mainly due to the dramatic difference in time zone. I’m used to waking up in Europe and knowing I have several hours before the US is awake, but to have no one around to chat to after about noon my time was much more difficult. So the people I’m sending some love to now are those that helped me enjoy myself more, ease the loneliness and see the joy in living: 

- Lovers Electric: Great band from Adelaide - I saw them at a bar in Kings Cross our first weekend here. Awesome energy, beautiful lyrics, cutest couple ever- assuming they are a couple which I desperately want to be true- check them out!

- Power Living Yoga Center in Neutral bay- Wow- I was flying high after nearly every class here- 90 minutes of sweat, breathing and centering myself. Duncan, Keenan, Molly and Dave are great instructors! Can't wait to find somewhere similar in San Diego- I am hooked!

- Maisy’s Café in Neutral Bay- free wireless and the most delicious lemon spongey cake things a person could eat.

- Erika- thanks for being so much fun, joining me for fashion week and for the great Anzac day party!

- Judy, Judy, Halina and Peaches from my art class- thank you for taking me in, making me feel at home and enjoying all the wonderful coffee and lunch breaks!

- Anothony- what would we have done without you?? If this post gets through the cynic in you, I'll be truly grateful!

I hope this post inspires anyone reading it to think about what they are grateful for and take the time to recognize the important people in your life. Hopefully while wearing a killer pair of shoes, but hey, barefoot is good sometimes too.

A Greener Life—Appliances…to replace or not to replace?

I found two great reads in the NY Times over the past week.

The first is right up my alley on how to (smartly) lead a greener life, including a look at the trade-offs involved—and the other reflects my evolving POV on food, cooking, buying organic and local, etc. (this second one I’ll talk about later this week).

I’m not in an appliance buying or replacing place right now (maybe in a year or two), but If Your Appliances Are Avocado, They Probably Aren’t Green was still interesting. 

Turns out clothes dryers are the biggest energy suck, which I already knew (a friend in London, mother of two young children, doesn’t use a dryer—and hearing her describe how long it takes to do laundry brought up images of our prairie ancestors and not in a good way).

I already let a number of items ‘line’ dry (from nicer ‘intimates’ to jeans to my Anne Fontaine shirts and other items I want to save from dryer wear and tear).  But hanging a clothesline in my basement and eschewing the dryer even more?  I’m not there yet, I’ll admit.  But I’m thinking about it. 

In the meantime, I try to ‘underdry’ slightly…as opposed to ‘cooking’ my stuff, as some do (bad for clothes, bad for environment). 

“Avocado” also addresses when it make sense to replace a perfectly fine, but not super energy efficient appliance—in other words, the trade-off between energy savings and buying new stuff, which also uses energy resources.  A few fun facts I learned:

•    Most dishwashers are more energy efficient than hand washing—and of course a full load is even more efficient (I can get a bit obnoxious about this…waiting to fit in just ‘one more meal’s worth’ of dishes)
•    If you’re lucky enough to have space for a second fridge that’s mostly used at holidays, keep it unplugged the rest of the year (vs. using it to store your extra beer and Pellegrino…)—I used to be guilty of this, I’ll admit
•    Front-loading washing machines are more efficient—less water used and more water extracted from clothes (meaning less work for the dryer)…but they are also more expensive, as I learned when I last went appliance shopping about 4 years ago
•    Don’t use screen savers on your computer—let it go to ‘sleep’ instead (uses less energy)

So to clothesline, or not to clothesline?  Thinking about it…

Happy Mother’s Day!

By Lauren Carroll

Here’s a shout out to mothers who do so much for the smallest among us with no expectation of a pat of the back or even a thank you for the effort. It’s great to set aside a day to celebrate the best and most challenging job in the world. I have two little ones myself: a daughter, 7 and a son, 3. Being a Mother is the job that I love most and my children were one of my strongest inspirations in creating a company that offers a positive product to the world.

My last gig in “corporate America” was as a VP of marketing in a mid-sized technology company that was in management crisis. Some real shark type consultants were brought in to build up the company to try to sell it off. At the time, I had only my first child and was very conflicted when working full-time at such a demanding job and leaving my daughter in day-care, albeit a really wonderful daycare trifecta made up of my mother, mother-in-law and a great daycare provider close my home. Long story short, the new management called a meeting and told us to hate our competition. “But we don’t just hate our competitors; we hate our competitors’ mothers too” said the new temporary CEO. And that’s when I knew.

I knew I could never hate anyone’s mother especially just because they were a competitor, and I knew that I could no longer fit into that world. I realize now – as I did then – that this was just bravado to “psych up” the troops, but I realized that I needed to travel a path that better suited my personal beliefs and that there has to be a better, more maternal approach to business.

On Mother’s Day, I have a few traditions that really feed my soul. I sleep late – made it all the way to 9:30 AM this year. That’s pretty good. Followed by cards and breakfast in bed. I’m not a big fan of eating where I sleep, but the kids like it. Then a few hours of planting my annual flowers and vegetables for the year. My two little ones always want to help and usually do for small bursts of time, which is nice. I also treasure some solitude and working with the earth for a few hours.

It’s symbolic really. Tending to the earth for such a short time gives us so much in the end, a season’s worth of beauty and an abundance of food. Mother’s day does the same, one day of recognition and special attention to a Mother sews the seeds for another year of abundant giving and love.

A Greener Life: Ending Shopping Bag Madness!

I’ve always been fairly ecologically minded—never run water while brushing my teeth, hate paper plates and utensils, have always recycled and even had a compost pile for a while (now that was cool…)

But the bar’s raised.  The consequences of our (Americans’) habits—consumption, shopping, cleaning, driving…oh, just about everything—are undeniable and they impact not just our children and grandchildren’s world (which should be motivation enough, but it clearly hasn’t been), but our world, today.  Perhaps the idea of beachfront property disappearing has finally gotten everyone’s attention.

But let’s face it—it’s hard to change.  Particularly when you feel “hey, I already *xxxx*…” (fill in the blank—recycle, installed energy star appliances, buy organic, etc.)—“…and now I’ve got to do more?” 

Most green guide articles—whether online, books or magazines—while educational, also end up being overwhelming.  Their objective is to make it seem easy—“hey, look, here are 1000 different ways you can make a difference!  See, it’s easy—pick one (or better yet 885) and do them!  Now!” 

But the impact of seeing 1000 things you can do, translates to 1000 things you should do…and thence comes the sense of being overwhelmed, accompanied by inertia, followed by guilt…and if you do manage to do one or two, well, there are 998 left—what are you waiting for?  Rainforests and coastlines are being destroyed as we speak!

It’s time we acknowledge change is hard—and aim for, and celebrate, the small changes we do make.  They really do add up.  And we can’t really guilt people (ourselves or others) into it, alas (people still smoke after all and that has more negative individual impact than most green initiatives).

So what’s my story?  Life kicked me upside the head last year and I’m in a change-making place right now.  And have committed myself to expand my scope to living a greener life…one small change at a time. 

My most recent ‘small’ change:  Shopping Bags!

I’ve always tried to re-use shopping bags…paper stored Goodwill giveaways, plastic was used for trash, scooping the cat litter, other stuff.  But of course we always collected more than we could reasonably use.  And I’d try to save them, not wanting to throw any away without a use—it was madness.

And then Whole Foods (and even Trader Joe’s!) starting a ‘bring your bag’ campaign.  It was great—and I’d think how great it was as I walked into the store without my own bag, time after time (damn!  gotta remember next time…)  And then got distracted and didn’t.  I annoyed myself.

How did I break the cycle?  Finally, after shopping one day I went around and picked up 4-5 random bags (a euro mesh-style one, a department store bag, some old paper bags) and threw them in the back seat of my car.  No more excuses!

Now I have them—and use them!  I also place them on the bottom of my cart while shopping, to put some of my fruits and vegetables…thus avoiding using even more plastic bags (one serrano chile and one piece of ginger don’t really need their own individual, separate plastic bags).

And when I’m at the drug store, and only buy 1-2 things?  Just say ‘no bag please,’ and put them in my handbag.

Whew!  So what’s next?  (Only 999 to go…)

Redefining "Shopping Local"

I have barely shopped since being in Australia. It’s been partly by design - I have no room in my suitcase. And they are selling fall when I’m about to go home to a nice long summer. And sadly, clothing here is really expensive. Repeat after me Americans: we do not pay that much for clothes. We do not pay that much for clothes. Between taxes, shipping and import costs, everything costs more here.

Despite all this, nothing makes me happier than a day of browsing cool shops. With a full-on cappuccino buzz and a free afternoon, I hit the Paddington neighborhood of Sydney with a ridiculous level of excitement and anticipation. I was not disappointed!

While Oxford Street gets all the press, my favorites were on the side streets, particularly Glenmore Road and Victoria Street. Here, “shopping local” isn’t just about buying local fresh produce- many of the clothing boutiques specialized in local design and production- proudly Made in Australia or New Zealand. This is a great way to find something unique, fair trade and more eco-friendly as there is less shipping involved. Two of my favorites:

- Sally Smith: Sydney local that uses beautiful fabrics that drape across the body just perfectly- check it out at www.sallysmith.com.au

- World Factory of Ideas and Experiments: a New Zealand company (how did I miss them in Auckland?) with super cool t-shirts, fun jackets and funky gifts. Very creative stuff. You can find them online at www.worldbrand.co.nz.

I’m planning to do more “local shopping” when I return to the States as well, something that has only become an option as a result of the weaker dollar. For Charmoné, it was less expensive for us to manufacture our Spring ’08 collection in LA than Italy- but only because the Euro was so high against the dollar. Clearly I would prefer a stronger dollar, but if you believe in making lemonade out of lemons, take this opportunity to seek out more US-made goods! Shoes, jeans and handbags can all be found Made in LA with excellent quality and design. I’ll do my best to keep you posted on the gems I find- in the meantime, please send us your favorite “made in the US” items and we’ll add them to the blog!