Rainbows

Here's the deal: I really don't like wearing shoes.

I'm not one of those girls whose closet is full of pairs of shoes for every occasion. I have a pair of Adidas shell toes that I've had for... hmmm... 10 years! (I wasn't joking when I said I don't like wearing shoes), a pair of super cute super stylish Coach wedges, a pair of cozy rain boots and 2 pairs of Rainbows (one thin strapped black and one wide strapped brown-- they are my go-to for every occasion ;)). When I'm not barefoot... my feet happily reside in my Rainbows. They are the most comfortable flip-flops that I have ever owned... molding to my feet... they are the closest thing to being barefoot :)

SO....a couple of months ago-- before my trip to LA-- I was in dire need of some new Rainbows. (If you don't know the story... Rainbows are kick-ass flip flops because they last so L-O-N-G.) I went in the surf shop and had an epiphany...then asked, "Do they make Rainbows with something besides leather??" Of course they do. Unfortunately, they didn't have any. SO, I went to another surf shop... they didn't have them either... so I made the decision that I could wait... and placed an order.

Back up... what was my epiphany all about??? First let me say, that after I made the conscious decision to stop eating meat... I didn't really realize that it was going to have a ripple effect on other areas of my life. I read A LOT of stuff... and I am always affected by the things that I learn. I already knew about the cruelty and all of the resources it takes to raise cattle... but then I read about how cattle ranching (yes, that includes leather) plays a major roll in deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest. Seriously, the Amazon Rainforest is being clearcut to raise cattle! Oh, the problem with leather doesn't end there. Oh, no... it gets even worse... a slew of chemicals are used in traditional tanning... and those chemicals don't just disappear... nope... they end up in our environment :(

Foregoing leather was an easy decision to make and commit to. (Also, check out this article: Leather Vs. PVC )

Finally... a couple of weeks ago, my hemp Rainbows arrived!! I'll admit that I was a little nervous whether or not I would love them as much as my leather Rainbows... BUT... I quickly realized even though the sole felt a bit different... they are just as great (ok, better) than their leather counterparts!!

What makes hemp so great?? Here's what the tag on my flops says:

Natural Hemp Fiber

Naturally organic fiber that is environmentally friendly and durable.

Nature's strongest, longest lasting fiber.

Biodegradable and paper free.

No rot, no mold, just pure hemp.

It's Hempenin!

Oh yeah. Those are my hempenin ;) feet swinging at the park.