The Ugandal3 Sandal: promoting justice and sustainablility. When shoes look good, you like them. When shoes feel good, you love them. And when shoes do good, you just can’t but help to love them even more. For Spring 2011, Reef is bringing some sandals to the market that spread love each and every step of the way. The Ugandal3 features the recycled craftwork of displaced women in Uganda, while the Ah-Sy-Ee uses the leftover seed of the açaí berry. Both of these sandals use stylish, eco-conscious design elements, but I think it’s quite notable of Reef to not only create to help the environment, but also to provide justice for women and children. For Women’s Equality Day, educate yourself on this sandal and be inspired to not only celebrate the justice for ladies in the U.S., but for women all over the globe working towards equality.
The Ugandal3, the third sandal in the Ugandal collection, features one of my favorite forms of paper arts, the rolled paper bead. If any of you ladies ever rolled up your old fashion magazines into jewelry, then you know what I’m talking about. Reef cleverly utilizes this sustainable form of craft in the embellishment of their sandal. These handmade, colorful paper beads are made by a group women from Gulu, Uganda, and then purchased through fair-trade from the humanitarian organization, 31 Bits. Because of this partnership, the team of women has multiplied from 5 to 60 since the first sandal release in Spring 2010! These women, once displaced by war, now have jobs that can provide food, shelter, and education for their families.
The Ugandal3 is also part of the Reef Redemption Program, meaning that not only are the beads green and eco-friendly, but the hardware is recycled, the adhesives are water-based, and the leather is chrome-free. To top it all off, portions of proceeds from the sales go back to help the environments and communities of the beaches and reefs, proving that Reef is committed to sustaining the surf heritage where they come from.
While I love the concept of these shoes, I especially love the look of the sandal. Every bead comes from a different page of a magazine, making each bead as unique as the women who made them. The soft leather comes in either white or brown, and the slingback ruffle in the back makes it easy to wear. Currently, the Ugandal2, the Summer 2010 release with a simple white strap and row of beads, can be found in shops. Expect to see the Ugandal3 in stores January 2011, retailing for $60.
