Monday, June 20, 2011

Eco Friendly Chacos for Summer--Kids too!


When I heard that Chaco had come out with kids' sandals and shoes I got very excited.  For the past six years, my black Chaco sandals have been my Summertime staple.  They look great with everything--dresses and jeans and I have worn them almost daily every Summer.  You'd think with all that wear, they'd be pretty ratty by now, but they look almost new.

The great thing about Chacos, is that when they finally do wear out, you can send them in for new tread.  How eco friendly!  The ReChaco program will preserve the life of your favorite sandals by replacing the tread.  Speaking of the tread, it's rugged, but not too rugged to dress up.  You could go hiking in them or dancing in them which makes them awesome for travel.

Another wonderful thing about Chacos is that they are fully adjustable.  And finally, they have unparalleled arch support.   This can be difficult to find in a sandal and it can be draining on your feet if you walk a lot.  This extra comfort and support makes them ideal for extended wear.

The kid version is a mini version of the adult Chaco, only a little more fun.  Look at these fabulous Robot sandals with the red soles and reflector pull loops.  My son went bananas over the robots and runs like lightening in these.   He can go wading in the rocky bay waters and these protect his feet  without slipping off.

They have the 25% recycled content EcoTread outsole and a footbed designed to promote proper body alignment.  You can wash them in the machine and they won't mark up your floors.  They're virtually indestructible and look adorable.  Chacos run a bit big in general, by about a half size in my experience, so keep this in mind when ordering.

Chaco has also started producing shoes.  I love these Devotee Vibram Gunnison shoes which have the wonderful arch support and versatility of the sandals but will take you through more seasons and more situations.  You could wear them to the office, traveling (they would be great going through security since they will slip right off), and anywhere you want to be cute and comfortable and a little more dressed up than you are in sandals.

There is no way to adjust the back straps, so sizing can be a little tricky on these.  I recommend trying them on in person if you can or ordering from an online retailer like Zappos which has a free, easy and immediate exchange program so you can quickly get the right size.  I normally take an 8.5-9 and with Chaco I take an 8.  With this particular shoe, I needed a 7.5, so keep in mind they run big.  They are worth the effort, they're very well made, comfortable and foot-flattering. 

I'm so excited Chaco has decided to offer more options, I can't wait to see what they come out with next.  Check out their selection (including vegan sandal options) HERE.

2 comments:

Alessandra said...

Never seen this brand, I wonder if they have it in New Zealand.

Ciao
A.
http://alessandra-veganblog.blogspot.com/

Eco Mama said...

Hi Alessandra, they are available online, maybe you could order them?
xo
Eco Mama