GreenSoul Shoes – Our Mission

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Worldwide children make up a third of the population. Yet, 300 million children, or roughly 16% of the world’s children, do not have access to the footwear you and I consider essential. Now, at GreenSoul Shoes we have been empowering local artisans through NGOs like Heritage Watch to handmake  100% recycled sandals. For every pair of shoes sold, one will be given to a shoeless child. Our innovative business model allows our consumers to directly support an underprivileged child.

We have established working relationships with three shoemakers in the developing world and hope to add many more local partners in the coming weeks and months. Stay tuned! View Larger Map

Please join us in our adventure to shoe the world’s shoeless children in an environmentally-beneficial fashion.

-The GSS team

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cambodia Takes to the Roads in Building Spree

Cambodia is about 50% done with its 10 highway building projects which add 730 miles of pavement. In the process, they pulled up 300 land mines and 30,000 rounds of ammunition from the dirt roads!

More than 5,000 villager went to the road’s official inauguration, including “farmers who arrived by bicycle, monks with freshly shaved heads, children in school uniforms.”

Organizers stenciled messages onto large banners strung across the canopy, “Where there are bridges and roads there is hope.”

Source:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/world/asia/19camboroad.html?hp

Ready, Willing and Able!

Sam putting labels on our 100% recycled boxes

Ready, Willing and Able is the mantra at the Doe Fund.  The Doe Fund is an amazing organization.  Its mission is to, “develop programs to empower formerly homeless and low-income individuals.” GreenSoul Shoes is proud to partner with the Doe Fund for all of our fulfillment operations.  We showed them the basics about our products and they were off leading the rest!

From receiving our shipment of sandals, counting them, sorting through orders, packing and shipping them out, the Doe Fund worked tirelessly to complete and send out our first shipment. Hurray!

GreenSoul Shoes package

We are hoping you will notice the little things–like the fact that our box is made 100% from recycled paper (and is 100% recyclable) and the physical box is used for both packaging and shipping to reduce waste.  The end caps are made of recycled plastic and are 100% recyclable.  Our bags that are used the store the shoes are made from airline’s seat headrest (no worries, these have been properly washed).  And of course, our sandals are made from 100% recycled rubber from tires and inner tubes.

We are proud of our product.  Just like the Doe Fund, we are ready, willing and able to tackle more ways to produce awesome products mindful of our environment and to create multiple ways to give back.

One step closer to shoeing 1 million children in 5 years. Thank you for your support!

Happy Holidays everyone!  Alastair, Stephen and Iris.

ChrismaHanuKwanzakah: A Holiday Anxiety-Relief Spectacular

Join the Global Giving Circle and GreenSoul Shoes on Wednesday, December 16th at 7pm for their first annual holiday party and gift emporium, ChrismaHanuKwanzakah: A Holiday Anxiety-Relief Spectacular at Galapagos Arts Space in Dumbo, Brooklyn. Each ticket includes a glass of white/red wine or a non-alcoholic beverage.

Get your tickets today via: http://globalgivingcircle-greensoulshoes.eventbrite.com

For each ticket purchased via this link, you will receive a $10 off* towards your purchased of a pair of GreenSoul Sandals at the event.  Dont’ miss this opportunity

*your $10 off coupon will be emailed to you before the event

Entertainment for the evening will be provided by improv geniuses – members of the fearless Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. They will take the audience’s tales of holiday dysfunction and make them a springboard for hilarity.

The improvised skits will be inspired by awkward family holiday moments, worst gifts ever received and other experiences that make the holidays “cringe-worthy.”

Ticket sales will benefit Urban Arts Partnership, a non-profit organization that provides arts programs to underserved inner city public schools in New York.

In addition to the evening’s performances, the Global Giving Circle will solve your holiday shopping needs with their classy gift emporium: Global Gifts That Matter.  You will find a lively mix of well-made, thoughtfully sourced holiday gifts that make a difference in the world. The gifts include jewelry, handicrafts, organic chocolates, 100% handmade recycled sandals, bags, purses, candles, curiosities and much more.

With prices ranging from $10 – $100, it’s never been this easy to make a loved one happy AND make the world a better place!

Can’t make it or want to get your shopping done before December 16th, please visit the GGC’s online gift shop at http://www.globalgiftsthatmatter.org

For more information on the Global Giving Circle please visit: http://www.globalgivingcircle.org

Love to Jaixai and Vonchai, From Laos

 

Hi guys!

A friend wrote this book and is sending a portion of her proceeds to some of the kids we work with. Check out her work by clicking here.

The story is about a young girl and her family in a traditional Laotian village with beautiful and intricate illustrations of landscapes and costumes. There are also delicious recipes from Laos.

About the Author

Dengnoi Reineke graduated from Brown University with a BA in International Relations (2001) & MA in Development Studies (2005). Noi has lived and traveled extensively throughout Asia, Europe and Central America. She has served as an international consultant for the Laotian Ministry of Education, the UN Save the Children Organization, the Vocational Cambodian Center for the Disabled in Cambodia, the Asian Development Bank and the Ministry of International Relations in South Korea. This is her first children’s book debut.

 

Notes from Lima

Lima runs at a slower pace than most large metropolitan cities I have been to; its rhythm is more traditional, and its people reflect a steadier, calmer constitution. It feels more like a cluster of smaller towns. The south side of the city is washed by the cold waters of the southern Pacific ocean and seems pleasantly removed from the pace of time.

Cusco, the former capital city of the Inca Empire, has a similar feel though it definitely carters to tourism far better than Lima. There are now scores of beautiful Catholic Churches and modern conveniences, such as a McDonalds smack in the middle of the Plaza de Armas (the central town square).

Vote for us at Forbes.com

WE NEED YOUR VOTE!

GreenSoul Shoes is honored to be a top semi-finalist for the Forbes.com’s Boost Your Business business plan competition.  Our business model of working with local artisans to create a 100% up-cycled sandal (entirely made out of recycled rubber tires, with no staples, glues or threads) and for each one that we sell, giving one away to a child in need is gaining traction, but we need your help by gaining more votes to be able to win this business plan competition.

Winning this competition would allow us to expand our reach to local artisans, add new sandal models, and increase our shoes distribution. With your support and vote, we are confident we can reach the final round.

The voting process is easy:

1) Click the following link: http://bit.ly/18XZ9g
2) select GreenSoul Shoes;
3) put in your email and verification code;
4) click the confirmation link in your email;
5) Send this email to your friends

Voting ends on September 3oth, 2009.  Vote for us today!

First shoe donation in Navotas City, Philippines

So earlier this week, we donated the first batch of shoes to school children from the Philippines Christian Foundation in Navotas City, Philippines. The children were really excited and the school had them perform a thank you dance for us. Overwhelmingly, the people are excited to have us join them in their community and we are excited to work with them.

The location was set in a community of 500 to 1000  folks who lived in a local cemetery which was kind of macabre as there were open graves which were waiting to be reused.

There was also a section of housing built on stilts that extended into the water–the living conditions were still extremely rough and many sections of the bamboo floors were coming apart–making it important to look where you placed your foot.

By the time we left, we had over a hundred smiling faces and a community that had something new to celebrate. It has been a great week for our team over at GreenSoul Shoes and we are pretty excited about next steps!

More pictures here: http://su.pr/1DdOWq

Alastair Interviewed by Liz and Joan Hamburg for Radio Show “LaunchPad!”

Our fearless leader, Alastair was interviewed by Liz and Joan Hamburg for their WOR 710AM radio show, “LaunchPad.” We were pleasantly surprised by especially Liz Hamburg, who was the motivating factor in getting GSS featured for this radio show. She really did her homework and asked all of the perfect question, making Alastair’s job so easy – he looks so purrrrtey. Click here to listen to the interview with Alastair: http://su.pr/2OPgxr

Launchpad is heard live every Monday morning at 12:40 pm.

“Serial entrepreneur” Liz Hamburg and her mother Joan Hamburg bring you inspiring stories from small business owners and entrepreneurs. Hear directly Everything from those who are just starting out to the many who have already made it. All of them have war stories to share and tips of what to do and not to do. Launchpad also offers expert advice on how to finance your business, how to market it, how to deal with employees, health insurance and lots of other important topics.

Teaching Social Entrepreneurship to Prep to Prep future Leaders

GreenSoul Shoes was invited to give a lecture on Social Entrepreneurship to high school kids from the Prep to Prep program in New York City. These bright and outgoing kids have been selected after a rigorous selection process for a 14-month long after school program. The program covers from advance academics to personal development. During this summer, they are focusing on creating their own business plan. Their business ideas range from a service to convert analog media to digital media for the non-techies to selling vintage dresses. We could see how driven they were! we have no doubt that they will be our future leaders and successful businessmen/women.

Thoughts on packaging?

We really care about wasteful packaging. Check out this posting by treehugger on one of the worst packaging ideas ever:

Since we view our friends and supporters as important partners  in our new venture, we need your help in deciding which packaging we should use. Click here: http://su.pr/2MRBUk

Check back in a week when we post the results!