We absolutely love these awesome elven shoes called Needle and Thread by Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design student Hadas Ilani. Displayed at Ventura Lambrate during Milan Design Week 2012 as part of the academy’s “Design Bonanza” installation, the shoes are made out of locally-sourced pine needles and depict a combination of playfulness and respect for nature, as well as an incredible attention to detail.

The young Israeli designer, who currently resides in North Korea, had to learn how to transform the pine needles, which are quite fragile, into a material that is strong enough to use as shoes.

In order to do that, she experimented with a variety of sewing techniques before settling for a relatively simple stitch. Each shoe is different. Some have what look like laces in the front, while others have sweeping heels that would make any elf proud.

We haven’t actually tried one of Ilani’s shoes on, but we can’t imagine that they are very comfortable. Still, how can you go wrong? The material she chose is completely renewable and the design is totally unique. Anyone who dons a pair of these will be the talk of the town.

After Milan, the shoes already are.

:: Designboom

More on Cool Israeli Design:

Raw Bamboo Bench is Green, but is it Comfortable?

Folded Paper Jewelry That Makes Origami Look Chic

Ron Arad’s Bike Wheels Will Never go Flat

The post Hadas Ilani Makes Elven Shoes out of Pine Needles appeared first on Green Prophet.

Finally, some eco-friendly shoes for the fashionable green men out there.

We’ve seen an abundance of eco-friendly shoes here on Green Prophet of late – from Sharon Golan’s mix-and-match Shell 256 shoes to Daniela Bekerman’s “ze o ze” shoes that let you change the heels to fit your mood.  But what’s an eco-friendly man to do?  Go barefoot?

Thanks to a small-scale production leatherwork co-op in Tel Aviv, he doesn’t have to any more.  Introducing 100% natural, vegetable tanned leather sandals with a recycled rubber sole. (And they’re stylish too.)

This four-person co-op does all of the production and administration involved with creating the sandals, and this allows them to have full control over what goes into the shoes.  Only natural Italian leather is used, and no dyes or artificial substances.

The leather is also vegetable-tanned, which means that it avoids the usage of environmentally damaging chemical tanners.

The sandals are sold via Apolis, a company that believes that the “most valuable practice in creating lasting change is by investing in people.  It is people who are the innovators, the advocates, and the revolutionaries.  Apolis is a platform for a network of global citizens who are empowering people through opportunity.”

On the co-op that makes the sandals, Shea Parton, co-founder of Apolis, says that “they understand the importance of carefully sourcing their materials, an approach which continues to be a central part of their business, enabling them to truly appreciate what goes in to each pair of handcrafted sandals.  We hope you wear them well.”

Read more about other eco-friendly shoe designs::
Piece-Meal High Heels Let Wearers Design Their Own Shoes
Skins Footware is Skinny on the Resources
Change Your Shoes With the Click of a Heel
Grow a Flower in Your Worn Out OAT Shoes

The post Finally, Eco Friendly Shoes for Men appeared first on Green Prophet.