Mention “trainers” to your average green shopper, and you’ll more than likely be the lucky recipient of a gratis lecture on third world sweatshops, animal-derived materials and polluting production methods. And if that isn't enough to shock you, the inflated markups on most well-known brands will.
So, how are you to combine your New Year’s exercise regime with that other resolution about ethical shopping? With the best will in the world, those veggie-leather Jesus sandals just 
aren’t going to cut it at the gym…
Fortunately for you (and your reputation), green footwear has quietly been shedding its beardy-weirdy image, and a number of hot designers are now offering stylish and practical trainers to rival the more familiar mass-produced ones. Leading the way is Worn Again, a UK-based design collective dedicated to making shoes from all sorts of materials, from car seats to reclaimed jeans. The website features a limited edition range of trainers made from firemen’s uniforms, so why not get yourself a pair of shoes that may have saved lives instead of ruining them?
From: BEST OF 2008: Eco-friendy and sustainable shoes