FOOTWEAR FOCUS ROAD TEST


“Baa, baa black sheep have you any wool, yes sir, yes sir, three bags full. One for the Master and one for the Dame and one for the little boy who lives down the lane.”


W


hat we today recite as a nursery rhyme to toddlers, “Baa, Baa Black Sheep” may have been written as a protest rather than a sweet childish


ditty. It was probably conceived as a protest against the imposition of tax on wool that was a very, if not then most important product in England in the Middle Ages. The “Master” who got two bags was really the king; the “Dame” was the Church who got one bag. But for “the little boy who lived down the lane,” who was the shepherd who cared for sheep there was little or nothing.


The nursery rhyme came to mind when I received a pair of merino wool


sneakers to road-test. While Baa, Baa Black Sheep expresses people’s resentment over taxes imposed by the king in “Ye Merrie Olde England,” the sneakers probably represent the opposite. Unlike the wool taxes that highlighted inequality, the sneakers are made in a way that is helping improve the lives of the people in the impoverished kingdom of Nepal in the Himalayas. The shoes are designed by made by the Danish company, Egos and made for them in Nepal. Egos originally specialised in wool slippers that were made by workers in Nepal but have now added the sneakers to the range.


Environmentally friendly feet The company is very proud of the environmental friendliness of the shoes boasting that they are 100% fair trade, 100% natural merino wool from New Zealand and dyed with eco-friendly dyes. Their products are certified by the World Fair Trade organisation. They also say that the Nepalese staff are paid a decent wage and enjoy fair and orderly conditions. Egos say in their advertising they make the sneakers to these standards, “Because we care.”


While the shoes are dubbed “sneakers” they are also fashion shoes made


in a rainbow of colours that makes one want to “buy the rainbow” to have a pair of every outfit or occasion – but that would certainly NOT be very environmentally friendly!


16 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2019 Contact: UK Agent: Kevin Buck, North & South Footwear E: kevin@northandsouthfootwear.co.uk | M: +44 (0)7958 649559 When I was in France wearing my burgundy Egos, they went well with my


summer dresses and fashionable French friends commented how nice they looked, which is quite an accolade. Back in the UK I wore them with a pair of white jeans and am pleased to say I received some admiring glances, not the sneakers, not the jeans but the whole ensemble looked and felt great. And, my guess is that my admirers were, as yet, unaware of the environmental and social contribution the Egos sneakers were making and, as they gain in popularity, I am sure admirers will appreciate their benefits are not confined to fashion! Egos will be at Top Drawer in January with the AW20 collection.


Product details:


Style: Egos Sneakers - Trade Price: £31.98 Product Description:


100% Merino wool upper. EVA sole unit.


The first thing I noticed about the Egos sneakers was how lightweight they


are. They are so feather light and comfortable I almost forgot I was wearing shoes. The second thing is that, being natural wool, they never feel too hot or too cool. I have now worn them on a record-hot summer day in France when the temperature was in the forties and on a cool autumn evening in England when they were comfortingly warm.


The manufacturer Egos say that the natural oil lanolin in the wool makes


them resistant to dirt and, in addition, they can absorb up to 30% moisture without feeling wet or losing their insulating properties. Since Denmark has a lot of wet weather, I’m sure the company wouldn't be making the claims if they weren’t true!


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