How Children’s Shoes Can Be Educational
In the modern day and age, children and adults alike are extremely removed from the methods of production and consequences that these can have on our communities and environment. This might be in food production, with the shocking images of how meat is reconstituted to make chicken nuggets, or how chickens in mass production farming are so poorly treated to ensure we have enough eggs on our supermarket shelves.
Children’s shoes are a great opportunity to educate your children about the mass production chain. They can learn how consumers have a huge power to effect the planet through their purchases. The options for the areas to educate your children in relating to shoes are surprisingly extensive.
Fairtrade
In recent years there has been a rising interest in Fairtrade products. Fairtrade means that the original producers of the items treat their employees well, that the local community where it was created benefits from the trade and it does not have a detrimental impact on the environment.
When buying children’s shoes it is possible to research the brand to find out what the ethics behind their production chain is. Sharing this information with your children and conducting the research with them will help to build a strong awareness of the importance of informing themselves about the consequences of purchases. It will awaken in them a consciousness of their responsibility in all actions.
Due to the rising interest in the impact of production, many brands now make this information available to customers. If they do not make the information available publicly it should be available upon request.
Recycling
Another aspect of buying your children new shoes that could be used for educational means, is nurturing an awareness of the materials that they are made from. Products made from natural materials and fibres, such as leather or canvas, do not have a harmful impact on the environment. Shoes made from recyclable materials such as banana skins or bamboo can also be purchased from a range of suppliers.
Natural fibre shoes are not only better for the environment, but also better for the wearer, as synthetic manmade fibres do not allow feet to breathe in shoes. This can lead to foot health problems such as athletes foot.
You can educate your children that their leather shoes are made from animal skins, for which animals must be killed, albeit humanely. Show them that there are alternative options, such as canvas.
Recycling old shoes by donating them to clothes collections or charity shops is another way to educate your children about the impact of their waste. Even being creative and planting up tired old trainers with daffodils as a quirky garden feature will help to educate your children about being imaginative about re-using items and recycling.
Children are wildly curious about the world and you will be surprised how much they enjoy learning about seemingly mundane items such as shoes. By nurturing a greater awareness in our children of their impact on the world we create a better world for them.
Author bio
The author is a new product development consultant for a high street retailer of children’s shoes. He is currently developing a range of responsibly produced shoes from recycled goods. He recommends www.giantstrides.org.uk as a good retailer of children’s shoes.