(Courtesy of Zappos.com)

Shoes are a tricky territory for eco-fashion lovers. If you avoid leather for environmental reasons, finding stylish, walkable shoes proves a recurring problem. But wearing pleather is neither comfortable nor ecologically sound.

So maybe that’s why we’re particularly drawn to Naya Shoes. Featuring chrome-free leather and suede, nickel-free hardware, biodegradable latex foam footbeds, and recycled elastic, these shoes take a holistic approach to eco-design.

In addition to its commitment to carefully considered materials, the company manages to stay on-trend. Rock the hot clog look with the Irina slip-ons. Try a T-strap on for size with the Timpa sandals. But our favorite? The pleated peep-toe Ana booties. Yum.

There’s a bunch of styles on sale at Zappos, so you can stock up on next summer’s sandals right now. (And with free overnight shipping, you can have them just in time for Labor Day festivities.)

Naya Shoes “Ana” Booties, $149 at Zappos.com.

When Natalie Portman created her own shoe line in collaboration with Te Casan in 2008, she said she did it so she and her fellow vegans wouldn’t have to shop at Target for shoes.

Marie Claire fashion director and Project Runway judge Nina Garcia (right) guides a "frugalista" through Target's shoe department. (Courtesy of Sal2009.com)

“Basically, I did it out of a lack of choice,” she told the U.K. Sunday Times at the launch. “Stella McCartney does great shoes, but they’re expensive and very fashiony. I wanted a mary-jane shoe without leather. I’ve been getting stuff from Target, which is de facto vegan because it’s so cheap. But I did need some shoes that weren’t made of canvas or plastic.”

But while vegans are shopping cheap because the price point guarantees it to be faux leather, many more people shop faux leather, fur, and other luxury knock-offs because they’re cheap.

Unfortunately, there are serious environmental consequences for all that polyurethane and PVC bought through fast-fashion outlets and discount stores.

The way cheap materials are manufactured today rely heavily on acrylic polymers, the production of which generates and releases metric tons of pollutants into the air and water every year. The chemical makeup of these polymers come from coal, petroleum, and limestone, and the waste pollutes the air and water.

After the plastics are molded into thread for weaving or sheets for cutting, they are dyed and texturized in chemical-laden vats. The leftover solution is often dumped in landfills around the world, contaminating the soil with toxins.

That’s to say nothing of the social impact that making clothes for cheap has on the local labor force.

In July, a riot broke out in Cambodia over a broken labor contract that caused 4,000 garment workers to strike. The workers — predominantly women trying to support their families by making clothes for the Gap, Benetton, Puma, and Adidas — were beaten by police for trying to secure better wages.

It’s an all-too-common refrain heard throughout the sweatshops of Asia. The worst cases originate in the shady factories that illicitly produce counterfeit goods, where there are even fewer regulations to safeguard environmental and labor protections. The owners of such factories realize that if they’re already breaking one law, what’s one or two more?

As we’ve discussed in this very issue, there are affordable options for ethically made fashion. But it’s sadly not the norm.

The worst part? As costs continue to be cut and apparel companies chase the biggest return on their dollar, the drawbacks of cheap fashion will only grow. That is, until ethical shoppers decide enough is enough and cheap just isn’t worth the cost.

Navy TOMS are a classic ethical purchase, and today you can get them half price from KaightShop.com, courtesy of Lucky magazine.

That’s just $24 for a comfortable pair of kicks in versatile navy that the company will match with a shoe donation to a child in need. Wear yours with jeans, skirts, khakis, shorts — you name it.

Just click here, add to your cart, and enter code LUCKYDAILY2 at checkout for the discounted price.

Fellas, know that we love you, we just have such a hard time finding well-priced eco-fashion for the men. But today, success!

Timberland’s “Chelsea” boots from its Earthkeepers collection are about to go on sale during Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale, starting Friday. (See Page 79 of the online catalogue.)

Timberland’s website describes the eco-features so nicely, we want them to come in women’s sizes too:

Our Earthkeepers™ range features tough, rugged footwear made with the environment in mind. Thanks to moisture-wicking linings made from recycled materials, organic cotton content, rugged outsoles made with Green Rubber™ material and the all-day softness of leather from a silver-rated tannery, they’re durable, lightweight and always a talking point. This is laid-back comfort — with a conscience.

What all that means is a sole made from 42 percent recycled rubber and an organic cotton canvas lining that also incorporates 100 percent recycled PET mesh fabric. And more urban-rugged style than you can shake a stick at.

Timberland Earthkeepers “Chelsea” Boots, $99.90 at Nordstrom.com (starting July 16).

Great news for TOMS Shoes lovers! The line is now available at Nordstrom, meaning more mainstream shoppers will be introduced to the do-gooder shoes.

Nordstrom.com currently stocks some of the classic styles as well as the metallic glitter slip-ons, the men’s “Harbour Cordones” lace-up sneakers, and the peep-toe espadrilles for women.

And as always, for every pair of shoes you buy, TOMS donates a pair to a child in need. So head to Nordstrom to spread the love and show off your pedicure at the same time this summer.

China has long been the stronghold for American clothing companies on the prowl for cheap manufacturing, but decades of exporting labor to Guangdong has had an inevitable side effect: Chinese workers have gotten so skilled, they can command more money.

So apparel companies — particularly sneaker brands like New Balance, Saucony, and Keds — are now looking elsewhere to keep costs down and profits high. And Indonesia is looking pretty attractive for growth potential, reports The Boston Globe:

China once lured American companies to build plants in its economic zones near its large coastal cities with low costs and a seemingly endless number of workers, but it is becoming a more challenging place to do business for some industries. Chinese are getting more skilled, and are finding business opportunities inland, so fewer people are moving to the zones.

And the labor shortage is driving up costs: In the export hub of Guangdong province, several cities last month increased their minimum wages by up to 20 percent. Workers there now earn up to $160 a month, compared with laborers in Indonesia who make roughly $100 to $120 a month.

Other brands mentioned in the article include Mizuno, Saucony, Nike, Reebok, and Adidas. To compare, New Balance operates a factory in Massachusetts where workers earn up to $12 an hour with full benefits. That’s quite a difference, even taking cost of living into account.

I have to confess, I’ve been bothered by something I wrote on here recently. I published an Eco-Over that recommended clogs in March, and I actually have regrets now.

I admit this to you because a friend of mine has gone clog-crazy, all due to Karl Lagerfeld. And I feel like I haven’t helped.

What it boils down to is this: Chanel clogs are still clogs, and I refuse to believe that clogs can suddenly be high fashion. Comfortable as heels go, yes. Practical, sure. But fashion?

Much like the hyper-ballyhooed J.Brand Houlihan cargo pants, I fear that clogs are going to scream “2010!” in a New York minute. If you wore them together and took a photo, I bet in a couple of years you’d be able to narrow down when the snapshot was taken to within a few months.

Now, if you’ve been eagerly waiting for clogs to come back in style and have been searching forever for the perfect skinny cropped cargos, by all means, this is your moment. That’s your personal style, so ignore me and never be ashamed to flaunt it.

But a large part of ethical consumerism is avoiding fashion victimhood and not getting sucked into some quickly-dated trend just because Karl Lagerfeld told you it was cool. Know your style. End of story.

You wouldn’t necessarily think to look on Etsy for shoes, but there are tons of great handmade options! Take Sandali’s brown gladiators, artisan-made in Tel Aviv.

You can wear these soft leather strappy sandals a couple different ways: laced up like a goddess or worn low as an ankle strap. With a sturdy sole, you can expect to walk miles in these — like to the beach this summer.

And you get to support a small business while looking good. Awesome.

Sandali Brown Gladiator Leather Sandals, $55 at Etsy.com.

Britney Spears just surprised us all. The pop singer and tabloid fixture says she didn’t want the ads she just shot for Candie’s footwear to be airbrushed, so she has voluntarily released the unretouched versions to show what a mom of two really looks like. The Photoshopped images depict the star with impossibly long legs and creamy skin, whereas the imperfections visible in the “before” shot are ones that just about every woman in the world can relate to.

Although we’re not sure we’d buy the shoes, we admire her tremendously for this bold move. Over the past five years, the 28-year-old star has taken so much crap for her post-baby body, with many critics unfairly comparing her to the chiseled look she sported during her “I’m A Slave 4 U” salad days. But these photos prove she’s worked hard on her fitness and she can still rock our world, with or without the airbrushing.

(via The Cut)

We’re just as surprised as you are, but clogs have come back in a big way. We blame Karl Lagerfeld for putting them in Chanel’s Spring 2010 collection, and then Alexa Chung for wearing them adorably. That’s approximately when all hell broke loose on the clog front.

Luckily for those of us with limited budgets and ethical leanings, Swedish Hasbeens offers a similar style for a fraction of the cost. The company makes all shoes by hand using chrome-free natural leather, and the wood is harvested sustainably. And in spite of the 3.25 inch heel, you can walk miles in them — just ask Sarah Jessica Parker, a fan of the brand.

Chanel Clog Mules, $1,795 at Chanel.com, versus Swedish Hasbeens Super High Clog, $238.95 at Endless.com.