Leading by example, Galahad Clark, talks about the triathlon in the London Triathlon Guide 2010:

“This was my first tri so I just tried to enjoy it, but I found it absolutely ball-achingly knackering. I expected it to be a little bit easier. The swim and the run were OK. My goggles steamed up so I couldn’t see where I was going on the swim, and it was very abstract, with lots of interesting refractions of light through my goggles, so it felt like an acid trip. The bike ride just about did me in: I’ve only got one gear on my bike so people kept overtaking me on the hills. Overall, it took me less than three hours. My girlfriend put me up to this, I think she’s trying to tell me somethin, like I’, fat! It was nice and sunny, but right now I’d like to throw all this stuff in the Thames and never see it again…”

As long as people eat meat, leather can be an industry byproduct and a realistic sustainable proposition. A huge shift in cattle culture, however, needs to happen first. While there is a move toward “sustainable” leather sourcing from free-range cows, it’s only the tip of the iceberg. To really impact change, we still need a mass-market solution.

Cattle and deforestation

One of the main issues of late, as raised by Greenpeace’s “Slaughtering the Amazon” campaign, is that it’s the fashion industry—rather than the meat one—that is driving an increase in cattle farming. The result is that swathes of the Amazon continue to be cut down for grazing lands and growing soybeans for animal feed.

It’s the fashion industry—rather than the meat one—that is driving an increase in cattle farming.

The demand for leather products will increase until leather supply is properly restricted and much higher prices are reached in the hide market (which is effectively a commodity market). It’s critical that the price increase and restrictions go hand-in-hand so that it doesn’t become even more attractive to raise cattle for leather. Otherwise, leather will be a byproduct of an environmental disaster.

Here’s an interview, with Terra Plana‘s very own Galahad Clark, about being barefoot and VivoBarefoot shoes, from the Ottawa Citizen Newspaper.

Here are a view extracts, for the full article, visit the Ottawa Citizen:

“Edenism is the new word,” the Britain-based Clark said as he strolled lower Manhattan shod in his thin-soled creation. “Our shoes are not as good as barefoot, but they’re as close as we can get.”

Clark’s line of running and walking shoes, called Vivo Barefoot, feature a three millimeter (0.11 inch) sole that, he contends, frees the wearer to walk and run as evolution intended.

“We just tried to make the least shoe we possibly could,” said Clark, in what might seem a counter-intuitive move from a man whose family has been making shoes for almost 200 years.

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Terra Plana’s Galahad Clark has been interviewed as part of an article on the new barefoot running phenomenon. He says “The year 2010 is going to be a breakthrough for the barefoot revolution. The science is really compelling and exciting.” To read more of what he said, and for the whole article, please click on the images below.

The Cobbler’s Child, and Terra Plana’s very own Galahad Clark, is featured in an article about small businesses around the world and the entrepreneurs that keep them going.

Definately worth a read, for the full article go to the Time website.

Benefits of Barefoot: Special Offer for Huffington Post Readers

By Hillary Newman

I’ve always been a runner- or at least I was until I ‘ran’ into knee trouble a few years ago. Now, you could call me an elipicalist. While VH1′s I Love the 90s always gears me up for a sweaty workout, there is nothing I crave more than opening my front door and taking off. So when I learned about a new shoe technology developed to help runners, I did a little investigating.
Terra Plana, an ethical shoe company, created Vivobarefoot – a shoe line that is designed to achieve the benefits of walking and running barefoot. Upon hearing about these shoes, I immediately thought about my childhood, a time when I embraced a shoeless lifestyle. However, after a bit more research, I discovered that the benefits of being barefoot might surpass the freedom I has as toddler. Join me on my quest to learn more about Vivobarefoot and Terra Plana as I interview the owner, Galahad Clark.

In a nutshell, what is the argument supporting the Vivobarefoot technology?
Quite simple actually – walking barefoot is good for you.
Vivobarefoot has an ultra thin puncture resistant sole that gives the protection of normal shoes and all the benefits of walking barefoot – including the natural alignment of one’s posture.

How do you describe the person who wears Terra Plana shoes?
They might not know where they are going, but they know the way.

What are some or your favorite eco-friendly materials used to produce Terra Plana shoes?
Mesh from recycled pet bottles
Vegetable tan leather
Quilts from the swami tribe in northern Pakistan
Recycled e-max – ultra lightweight abrasion resistant soling material
Duratex in the Vivobarefoot shoes

Terra Plana has stores all over the world, including New York, Vienna and Ljubjilana to name a few. How has living and breathing in so many diverse places influenced Terra Plana?
Sustainability is a global issue and we learn so much and are inspired by different areas and partners around the world…

In your opinion, how can the retail industry produce more sustainably?
Produce less, but also more consumer education and training of staff to engage with consumers.
It is a very complex issue with many angles and layers (1000 ways to skin the eco-shoe)
Ultimately there should be a labeling system that creates transparency inspired by life cycle analysis. This will either be led by a government body or an industry group.
Companies like Nike and Timberland are leading the way at the moment in the shoe industry, but not many people truly comprehend the efforts they are making yet.

Any words of advice for the novice designer?
Keep things simple.
Create concept and identity.
Try to make a product beautiful from the inside and out.
Sustainable design is really just good design: The products function, are beautiful, efficient, relevant, durable, timeless.
(just like a successful part of the eco system if a product is none of the above then it won’t survive long and will go extinct)

Please click link below to go to huntingtonpost.com:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hillary-newman-/benefits-of-barefoot-spec_b_264792.html

Terra Plana’s Galahad Clark is quoted in an article on barefoot running in Easy Living Magazine.

Click to enlarge: