Shoes are generally full of chemicals, non-recycled or recyclable material, made from animals, and from companies where the folks who make the shoes may not be treated ethically and paid a living wage.

A small group of people wanting to offer a more sustainable type of shoe got together and created a variety of eco-friendly sandals for men, women, and children. They called their North Carolina based business ‘Nomadic State of Mind‘. Their shoes are made from rope and are quite durable and easy to care for!

The shoes come in a range of fun and comfortable styles, bearing names such as ‘The J.C.’, ‘The J.C. with Soul’, or ‘Mountain Momma’. They can be worn in any environmental condition. These sandals are found at: http://nomadicstateofmind.com/store.

The folks at Nomadic State of Mind found a small town in Nicaragua and taught them how to craft the sandals in order to produce jobs so they would be self-sustaining community.

Leftover trimmings from these shoes are used to make unique rugs, bags, water bottle carriers, and more. In fact, 85% of leftover pieces of rope from the sandals can be recycled into other products.

Nomadic State of Mind also offers earth-friendly hammocks, 100% organic cotton t-shirts, frisbees, and other special items.

The items arrive to your door packaged simply in a mail bag and tied with string. Large volume orders are placed in a reused box.

Nomadic State of Mind uses solar paneling, deep cycle batteries, and a few low energy light bulbs for their booths and live stores.

I sport a couple pairs of these shoes, myself. It’s about as close I can get to feeling the Earth under my feet without actually walking barefoot.