Holiday Gift Guide #3: The Socially Conscious Gift

In the last installment of our holiday gift guide we are covering the socially conscious person on your list. It can be hard to find the perfect ethical gift, whether that be fair trade, vegan or the philanthropic gift that gives back. Lucky for us, you and others behind the scenes of these products we have a few items that could satisfy the socially conscious person in your life.

Beyond just crossing someone off your list, you too can feel good about giving a gift to someone that is more than just an item. A gift that provided someone with a fair wage, didn't kill an animal in the production or helped out someone in need by your purchase. Plus just by shopping local you are doing your part!  So without further ado here are our suggestions for the gift that gives beyond it's use...

Image provided by awesome customer Lo Pabian

Sseko Sandals
Price: Base $45 Straps: $10-$13


Sseko sandals are fun lightweight DIY sandals hand made by women in Uganda and are perfect for the person who strives to be unique with their own style and flare.

How it works is you purchase the base and then pick your straps and lace up a pair of sandals to your choosing.  Sseko provides lacing instructions on the back of the strap packaging and through YouTube videos, but once you get going it is easy to come up with your own unique strapping style.

Sseko Designs was created as a Not-Just-For-Profit business that helps bright young women of Uganda continue their education and pursue college educations. Sseko hires recent secondary school graduates for the nine months to live and work together while earning money that will go directly towards their university educations. Like many third world countries there is not equal opportunity for women to earn money to go the university, which often leads to bright women falling to poverty. The women who participate in Sseko's work program will not make sandals forever. They will go on to be doctors lawyers, politicians, writers and teaches that will bring change and unification to a country divided and ravished by a 22-year long war.


TOMS Shoes
Shown: TOMS Classic $49

TOMS Classic Style

Inspired by the traditional shoes of Argentina, TOMS shoes gives back with every purchase, with their One For One movement.

In 2006, American traveler Blake Mycoskie befriended children in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS Shoes, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One. Blake returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends and staff later that year with $10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by TOMS Customers. To date, TOMS has put over 1 million pairs of shoes on children in need.

Due the popularity of people wanting to give back and participate in the One for One (yeah!), TOMS has expanded their line of shoes from the Classic slip-on to lace up sneakers, boots and wedges.


Ethletics: Autonomie Project
Shown: Hi-Top $56 & Low-Top $54

Ethletic Hi-Top and Low-Top options

Ethletics are the fair trade version of every one's favorite, the classic Chuck Taylor.  Taking home a pair of Ethletic sneakers can make you feel extra good about yourself because this sneaker is 100% Fair Trade. Workers are paid a fair wage that will put an end to their poverty and uplift their community. Ethletic sneakers are also 100% organic, all natural and free of toxic chemicals. On top of that if you thought it couldn't get any better, they are also 100% vegan and cruelty free!

Ethletic is made possible by the Autonomie Project, a fair trade fashion company. Proceeds from the sale of Ethletic footwear goes directly to the workers fund that helps pay for their children's schooling. health insurance, and other community improvement projects like providing clean water access to an entire village in Sri Lanka.


Happy Holiday Shopping, Keep it Local!

Holiday Gift Guide #2 - Gift of Barefoot

Oh my is Christmas only 11 days away! Yikes! I better get on with my holiday shopping...  If you are like me and have some barefoot enthusiasts in your life and want to increase their love of all things minimal here is a gift guide for you. There are lots of great items to choose from when it comes to giving the gift of barefoot. Sometimes it can be hard to determine what the perfect minimal shoe is for the person in your life that has laughed away arch support and for some shoes in general. 

Below is a guide to all that is barefoot at Pie. We have some of the best barefoot brands to chose from whether you are looking for a little style (VIVOBAREFOOT) or want to show off your toes (Vibram Fivefingers) or want to find a great minimal shoe that can help you ease into the barefoot lifestyle (NB). So check out our guide below and come into the shop and let us help you find the perfect barefoot gift for yourself of some else in your life.

VIVOBAREFOOT

shown: EVO II $145

VIVOBAREFOOT formerly known as Vivobarefoot by Terra Plana is one of the original barefoot running shoes. Endorsed by barefoot guru Lee Saxby, VIVOABAREFOOT shoes have ultra thin puncture resistant soles, anatomic toe boxes, neutral last (zero drop heal and no pitch to give natural gait) and provide you a natural foot-flex for a full range of movement during your run or stroll around the block. Additionally VIVOBAREFOOT uses recycled, sweat absorbing & antibacterial shoe linings, breathable, removable & washable insoles and are produced sweatshop free.

VIVOBAREFOOT has arrange of styles from performance to casual to work appropriate. VIVOBAREFOOT shoes are uniquely designed and provide some fun and funk to your barefoot experience. 

VIVOBAREFOOT EVO II 

Vibram FiveFingers
shown: Trek Sport LS & Trek Sport $100


Vibram FiveFingers is the original "toe shoe" and though others have tried to copy this design, the FiveFingers are lighter, more flexible and the only brand that feels like you have a thin second skin on your foot. Perfect for the person looking to get more mobility in their toes and for those of us who love the feel of running free like when we were kids.  Wearing FiveFingers help strengthen muscles in your feet & lower legs, improve range of motion in your ankles, feet & toes, stimulates neural function, eliminates heel lift to align the spine and allows the foot & body to move naturally. Which just feels good!

Vibram FiveFingers has a arrange of styles depending on what activities you plan to do in them. There are water styles, running styles and trekking styles.  Let us know what you want to do in your FiveFingers and we will find the style right for you.

Vibram FiveFingers Trek Sport/LS

New Balance Minimus 

Shown: Minimus Trail $104-$114

NB Miniums shoes incorporate minimal midsoles and outsoles with no insert. This construction enables the mid-foot strike and provides enhanced ground feel and control. The Minimus shoe like other barefoot styles positions your foot in a more neutral stance. The Minimus Trail shoe is a great barefoot "starter" shoe as it has a 4mm heel to toe drop. This provides more heel protection than a zero drop shoe and can allow you to ease in to mid-foot striking with limited discomfort. The Minimus also has anatomic toe box allowing your toes to spread naturally. The Minimus zero drop road shoe will be available in early 2012.

NB Minimus Trail can be used as a trail runner/hiker, but is also a great option for gym or urban hiking.  It has a casual look and feel, but is not your grandma's NB shoe.

NB Minimus Trail

Merrell Barefoot Series
Shown: Pace Glove $104 & Trail Glove $114
Merrell wants you to let your feet lead you. Merrell's barefoot series gives you all the benefits of barefoot running, but with the added bonus of a Vibram sole for optimum foot protection and traction for all the terrain you love. Merrell's barefoot series is made of microfiber and a light mesh upper allowing it to be easily washed after a long Forest Park run.  It also as Merrell's Omni-Fit lacing system secured with welded TPU to provide a precise glove like fit, which makes your arch feel secure without actually providing arch support.

Merrell's barefoot series is great for trail use or for those of us that might be slightly clumsy and feel safer with a little extra grip for our barefoot adventures. It also has a great fit for those with a narrow foot.

Merrell Pace Glove & Trail Glove

Barefoot Accessory Items - A.K.A Barefoot stocking stuffer

The Barefoot Book - by Daniel Howell, PhD
$12.95
Everything you need or want to know about going barefoot from running to everyday life.

Correct Toes
$65 (made in Oregon)
Realign your toes to their natural position and achieve optimal foot health.  Increases performance and decreases injuries in athletes. Improves strength and flexibility of the toes and foot while enhancing balance and stability.

Injinji Socks
$10-$24
The original performance toe sock, has a 5 toe seamless design providing, proper toe alignment for natural feel, protection from blisters and hotspots and superior moisture management. Not to mention they are just fun to wear!

Barefoot Accessories: The Barefoot Book, Correct Toes & Injinji Socks

Happy Holiday Shopping, Keep it Local!
Next week: Gift Guide #3 - Gifts for the socially conscious person in your life.

Holiday Gift Guide #1

Holiday Gifts at Pie Footwear

It's December, which means holiday gift giving. Whether you need somthing for an office mate or your signifcant other, we are putting out holiday gift ideas this month to make your shopping a little more fun and less of a task.

Here is the first installment of holiday gift  ideas from Pie and it's all about the stocking stuffer! Yes, those small gifts or that little something extra you needed to check someone off your list. We have lots of great items in the shop that can fit this bill. Here are a few of our favorites:

Upcycle your gift with a bag from 5th Season Designs:
All 5th Season products are hand-crafted, one of a kind & upcycled from discarded materials. 5th Season hopes to resonate the importance of waste reduction through a creative approach of looking at consumer products beyond their original intended purposes.
Shown MiniMaggie - $12 & Leah Tote - $66

Stuff your stockings with socks:
Everyone loves a nice wool sock, but it can be hard to cough up the change to buy a pair for yourself. So help your friends and family upgrade their sock drawers this holiday, their toes will thank you!

Teko: socks are beyond organic with certified organic wool farming, chlorine-free wool treatments and are made int he USA with wind-power. Made with 55% organic merino wool, Teko socks are super comfortable and durable.
Shown: Men's Santa Fe Crew $18.95

Goodhew: socks are crafted of their custom Cashmerino/Bamboo. This fiber blend balances the durability, environmental friendliness and thermoregulation properties of wool with naturally anti-microbial and luxurious bamboo. Goodhew socks are made in the USA with USA grown wool.
Shown: Eliza Knee High $18 & Zig Zag Crew $16

Injnji: otherwise known as the toe socks! You don't need to own a pair of FiveFingers to appreciate a nice pair of toe socks. Injinji socks are great for trail running, hiking, trekking and adventure sports.  They have an anatomical 5 toe design, wick moisture from between the toes and through out the entire toe box. Keeping each little piggy warm and cozy.
Shown: Outdoor Series (Wool) Over the Calf $24

Get funky and give a uniquely fabulous handmade hat from Bunny Huggins.
We love Bunny Huggins hats. They are comfortable and can be worn all day without getting hat head, I never thought this was possible! Bunny Huggins hats are locally made form all recycled materials and as a bonus each hat is reversible so it's two hats in one for the gift that keeps on giving. Bunny's hats come in 3 sizes: S, M, L
Shown: Bunny Huggins Hat $48

Still not sure what to get?  Pie Gift Certificates are always available for purchase in store or over the phone.

Next week's gift guide: Give the gift of Barefoot.

Happy holiday shopping. Keep it local!

Feet-So-Good Clinic w/Kim Cottrell

Come join us for our third class on self-care for your feet w/Kim Cottrell. 

When: Sunday, December 11

Where: Pie Footwear, 2916 NE Alberta St.

Time: 11 am- noon

Cost: $10 pre-registration & $15 at the door

Topic: For the Love of Your Feet

In the middle of winter, it's hard to take your shoes off, but that's exactly what you'll want to do to maintain the sensory capabilities of your feet. When feet are exposed to air, textured surfaces, and direct pressure for a least a couple of hours a day, they can do a better job. Learn how to treat them right and they'll keep your from tripping oer the curb or stepping in that puddle. They'll even help you hurry to catch the bus!

Pre-register for this class online at www.kimcottrell.com, through the Calendar page. See you next Sunday!

All attendees will get 20% off their purchase the day of the class.

Holiday Hours

During the month of December we are open late on Friday's for SHOP LOCAL, SHOP LATE on Alberta Street for your shopping pleasure. 

Holiday Hours:

Mon-Sat 11-7

Friday 11-8

Sunday 12-5

Happy Holiday Shopping! Keep it Local.