Sharon Raymond 
This pair of sneakers demonstrates why I love making leather shoes – from earth-friendly sources, of course (thrifted leather items, scraps from upholstery shops for example) – I have worn these sneakers through twenty years of zumba classes at the local fitness club, and about an equal amount of hikes on hilly country roads. Yes, they look beat-up – but they still work!
Most petroleum-based footwear – such as sneakers that look like they are made of cloth, but it’s really plastic – are made to last about a year.. so by using a by-product of the meat industry (yes, I wish people would eat less meat but the opposite is happening) – I have avoided purchasing twenty pairs of plastic shoes.
These sneakers have 3/8″ thick natural rubber soling – unfortunately I can’t get this any more, will make do with conveyor belt, some big lug floor mats I have, and whatever else shows up on www.repurposedmaterialsinc.com. If you go to this site looking for conveyor belt, there is a lot of variety in it, make sure one side is textured, not smooth…
