Eco Boat Shoes

Warning: If you are from Fort Lauderdale, and are a “Topsider” purist, this will offend you.

You know you grew up in Fort Lauderdale if you had an entire drawer full of bathing suits, you have had to figure out what to do with green hair (if you were blond), you have seen as many Manatee as Georgians have ‘coons, and you had at least four pairs of Sperry Topsiders. If you grew up within 10 miles of The Galleria in the 80′s, those Topsider laces were curled into spiral things, rather than tied in a bow. It looked “totally wicked” with your double layer of pastel colored Polo shirts (both collars up). Just the thing to wear as you stole macaroons from the LYC.

Sadly, Topsiders have yet to go “green” – but Timberland has created a line of “greener” boat shoes that, though not Topsiders, are suitable for a go on your runabout.

From their site:

• 100% organic cotton canvas and burnished leather uppers from a silver-rated tannery
• Lightly padded collar for a comfortable fit around the heel
• 100% recycled PET and 100% organic cotton linings
• 360-degree lacing system for optimum adjustability
• 100% recycled polyester laces
• Outsole made with 5% recycled rubber
• Rustproof hardware

I know that Sperry-lovers will never buy them – but they ARE better for the environment, and that means better for the Manatee.

(Slight exaggeration, but it all ties in.)

Happy boating!