I founded Opus Mind with one simple mission: to empower consumers with sustainable options that ensure the health of our beautiful planet. – Kathleen Kuo
Opus Mind delivers a classic sustainable backpack to last a lifetime. Classy beautiful leather that will be a part of our family for life. It is sleek, intrinsically handcrafted and simply put: a classic. When speaking to Kathleen Kuo I was so impressed in her attention to detail, every aspect of the way she is running this brand has been thought out.
Kathleen used to work at Chanel in her previous life and was so distraught as to how much was actually wasted in production. This inspired her down the path of sustainability. Opus Mind’s bags are handmade in Italy, and the leather used to make them is actually the scraps from a factory that makes gloves. How cool is this?
Recycled from scraps to make these exquisite pieces. I have to say I am already looking forward to owning the Saddle Crossbody when I am back in the city.
I truly cannot emphasise enough the quality of these bags. The detail in the craftsmanship is superb. These bags are functional and match any occasion. A day out in the city or a day at the beach, this bag looks good wherever you take it. The thought that the scraps that are used to make this bag would have ended up in landfills polluting our planet, instead you get to treasure it and pass it down to your kids, just like your grandfathers old classic briefcase!
Mine still looks brand new and I look forward to seeing how it ages. Send us pictures with you and your ¨Opus Mind¨ we would love to share them.
Traveling with a baby is no joke! Most parents know exactly what I am talking about. However you buy your first stroller before you have had these experiences….and then learn about all the annoying non useful things about it when you already own it! Instead of focusing on the strollers we didn’t like we want to focus on our very favourite stroller on the market: The Bumbleride
Anyhow so here we are as a family traveling through airports, on trains and automobiles…. Curving through cold city streets in snowy white Hamburg, to strolling the beaches of Tarifa in the south of Spain or simply taking a walk through Los Angeles…. what do we need to look out for when purchasing a stroller before we can even think about how green it is?
Is it versatile? Does it have small or big wheels? Does it fold up easily? How heavy is it? Is it comfortable for the little one to take his naps in? Will it work when he is a little older? Can I go for a run with it? Does it have storage space? This strollers has all these features as well as being able to get a car seat adapter and drinks holder if you so please.
You never really think about that if you spend some time in a city with cobble streets, your baby might wake up ten times when you try to put him down for a nap… Or you may want to take a stroll on the beach spontaneously and not get stuck in the sand. Or you may want to go to a music festival and take your little one with you! If you are an adventurer and like to be spontaneous all of these factors are important. So we made it a mission to find the most versatile, eco-friendly stroller on the market. It has plenty of storage, a front lock wheel and big tires with great suspension (our first stroller had zero suspension) which means you can take a sleeping baby anywhere! This is a huge plus for us, especially while Iñaki is out searching for the perfect wave.
What we love most, is not only that Bumbleride has created the perfect stroller for us and our adventures, but most importantly they have done it keeping our planet in mind….and that is why we consider the Bumbleride the best stroller on the market today and are absolutely exstatic to be collaborating with them.
Eco Couple uses affiliate links. If you make a purchase using a link we may receive a commission. Such revenue helps keep this website running, helps us pay our growing core team and allows us to keep the content free for readers and keeps us on our mission to inspire conscious consumerism.
I am so excited to have found these amazing sustainable shoe brands, I hope you like our selection and we always look forward to hearing from you. So please share your finds and suggestions.
“Because we know that sixty to seventy percent of the environmental footprint of a pair of shoes is a result of the product’s materials, we’ve made eco construction the central pillar of our shoe development” – Soala
Saola is privy to the extent the shoe industry has been polluting our planet and are doing everything they can to #makeanimpact to change this. We got the sequoia in misty blue and are absolutely in love with them. However I must say there are so many beautiful styles and colours to choose from. It is so important to not have to compromise style when supporting and buying sustainable shoe brands and that is exactly the case with Saola, comfort, style and sustainability all in one.
Thank you and we look forward to owning more Soala shoes as the years go by. So take a step into a more ethical footprint and feel good about your next pair of shoes!
This shoe comes in at number one for us….. not only is it stylish, vegan and just simply beautifully crafted. Not a day goes by that I do not get stopped on the street when I wear them. The shoe fits your feet like a glove, especially after wearing them in for a few days….. it is super comfortable and most importantly, eco conscious. From vegan leather to recycled fishing nets, this shoe exceeds every expectation from a vegan friendly shoe.
Every detail is hand made and sourced locally in Tuscany
Hand crafted in Tuscany, Italy. With every detail sourced locally even using natural dyes, making each and every pair unique. Wether it is out and about with a pair of summer shorts or a fancy dress these shoes make their mark wherever they go…..and we are beyond ecstatic to have found them!!!!!
“Love for the planet is in the heart of Verdura as well as love for beauty and for the aesthetics” -Verdura
Every girl needs a good pair of high heels in her closet, so why not make it a vegan pair. This high heel is an all time classic style and by far one of my favourites, I absolutely love the peek a boo toe. This is a classic, timeless design that can always be worn. Dress them down with a pair of jeans, wear them on a red carpet or to a wedding. The shoe fits for every special occasion.
Their sustainable and leather-free footwear is all ethically and beautifully handmade in Spain. They have a beautiful selection of vegan shoes
Quoting Beyond Skin and a very interesting fact we did not know: ¨On average, one cow hide will provide 18 pairs of leather shoes and each pair of shoes is accountable for the use of over 1.4 million litres of water! This figure includes the water used to rear and slaughter the cow, and to process the hide in to leather. Put simply, each time you purchase a new pair of leather shoes you are responsible for using as much water as having a bath everyday for over 40 years! In terms of disposal you’d think that leather products would be biodegradable, but the tanning agent renders it non biodegradable.¨
To me this is enough reason to look for a more sustainable option!
For a classic comfortable sneaker for men and women we have landed on these super comfy shoes. ¨Simple innovation in the form of an organic cotton canvas sneaker. A timeless style that will become a wardrobe staple. The textile lined memory foam insoles support and cushion your every step for maximum comfort.
Even the skateboard is made from recycled fishing nets (carver)
There are no harmful dyes used and the materials are held together with eco-friendly water based glues. The flat cotton laces are made from 100% recycled cotton; and yes, it is a vegan shoe. A classic organic cotton canvas sneaker that goes well with whatever music is playing.¨ Now how would you chose any other sneaker over this one….¨memory sole insoles are absolutely something worth a try!
These may be the most comfortable flip flops we have ever owned, Iñaki loves them just as much as I do! Inspired by tires and mad e from recycled rubber these flip flops have their own unique look and are truly a great price. We hope to own many more of them, and there are so many wonderful colours to choose from, we have yet to try the cork flip flops but do not doubt that they will probably be amazing too.
The Outback Slipper is made using 8 recycled plastic bottles, how amazing is that. For more info read up on it on their website. There is nothing greater than a good surf session and then slipping into a nice warm slipper, no matter what part of the world you happen to be in.
After a good surf session at hookipa, Hawaii
So all in all we have introduced you to our favourite eco conscious shoe brands for every and any occassion and look forward to hearing from you to discover more brands you would love to share with us!
Eco Couple uses affiliate links. We promote products we have tried ourselves and truly believe in. If you make a purchase using a link we may receive a commission. Such revenue helps keep this website running, helps us pay our growing core team, allows us to keep the content free for readers and keeps us on our mission to inspire conscious consumerism.
