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 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.

We couldn’t help but giggle a little at this quote from Steve Madden, the shoe knockoff king:

“We design shoes every day, and we are as creative as Prada. We are creating as much as the Pradas and the Chloés of the world. Do we make $900 shoes that are in Neiman Marcus? Have we made shoes just like that, which are less than $100 and have been great? Yes, we have. We’re out there creating and designing every day, making and building a meal for our customers. That creativity is not appreciated, and I would argue that what we do is harder. I could design an $800 shoe line; it’s easy. You use the best materials and you can make beautiful shoes. It’s easier than making great shoes for $90.”

But as The Cut rightly points out, Steve Madden’s company has on more than one occasion been the defendant in intellectual-property lawsuits from those top designers for ripping off their designs. He’s made an industry of copying high-end shoes for pennies on the dollar, and even if you respect his desire to bring big style to the little people, how creative do you have to be to manufacture replicas?

Above: In December, Balenciaga (the maker of the original Lego-inspired shoe on the right) sued Steve Madden over its uncanny knockoff, pictured on the left.

In this photo from the set, Carrie (played by the ever-stylish Sarah Jessica Parker) sits with Miranda’s son Brady on a brownstone’s steps rocking the Super High Peep Toe sandal.

Swedish Hasbeens is known for its handcrafted quality and chrome-free designs made with sustainable wood and natural leather. And in spite of its 3.5 inch heel, this sandal is über-comfortable.

Says the shoe’s designer (who is understandably thrilled by the plug):

“This is the sign that modern women in the US have started to appreciate high-quality eco-fashion”, says Cilla Wingård Neuman CEO of Swedish Hasbeens. “The time has come to throw away those plastic high-heels that don’t last for your grandkids and just hurt your feet.”

Want a pair of your own before the movie comes out? You can pre-order them at the link below!

Swedish Hasbeens Super High Peep Toe Sandal in Natural, $219 at ShopRobertson.com.

You may love your shoes, but can your shoes find you love? If they’re TOMS, they just might!

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, the TOMS blog is asking for stories about how their charity-minded shoes have helped you out in the romantic department. The first story is pretty cute:

When we were in Virginia on vacation this past summer (from our home in CA) our delightful, 22 year old bearded, tattooed web designer son and our family were eating burgers at little retro diner in Williamsburg.

We were approached by a (brave!) girl “My friend wanted me to give you her number” is what she told our son.   Yes, this cute and stylish 20 year old thought our son was cute… but what clinched it was that he was wearing TOMS!  Because he was fashionable AND socially conscious she could NOT let this opportunity pass by!

Even cuter? They’re engaged now — and they’re outfitting their wedding party in TOMS. Super fitting.

If you’re not in love with TOMS yet, check out our review of this awesomely aware company.