Question from Stacey
Just wondering if you have heard of “Kalso Earth Shoes.” I’m trying to find less toxic shoes, but it’s not easy since you really don’t know what materials are used, and the information is not available sometimes (most times). These shoes have a “negative heel” technology, and supposedly are made of leather. However, when I received a pair, there is an odor to them. I tried contacting the company but got no response. Just wondering how you chose shoes?
Thank you!
Debra’s Answer
It’s very difficult to find toxic-free shoes. Part of the problem, as you said, is that the materials are not disclosed.
In another post, Q&A: Safe Sneakers?, today I talked about the shoes I wear. I look for shoes made from leather or natural fibers. Like I would wear shoes made from cotton or linen. I don’t have any at the moment made from natural fibers, but I would wear them. And I basically avoid any shoes made from plastic or that contain antifungals. That’s about the best we can do at this point in time.
Leather does have a natural odor to it that can smell a bit like cows. But if the odor is a chemical odor, return the shoes. Leather can be treated, but isn’t always. Always ask and try to get information.
I tried negative-heel shoes in the 1970s for a waitress job, and found them very hard on my knees. Went on to need knee surgery in the 1980s and 1990s. Although it is true that our heels do go lower when walking in sand, I think a negative heel shoe is not good for many people’s knees to walk this way on hard ground where the entire foot isn’t flexing as we walk. I’m really liking the barefoot technology (like Vibram Fivefingers) for my knees. And I always go completely barefoot at home.