simple

also available for the holidays...

This just in from our buddies in Flagstaff... Kaden and Janelle Malone.  While we definitely can't recommend the Green Toe bag as a carriage for tinies, we definitely like the creativity here... A+!

or you could always buy a pair of simples...

I hope you've all had an excellent weekend filled with Tofurkey, Turkey, mashed potatoes or whatever else you love (friends and family included.)  Without boring you with the details of my long weekend, dodging aggro LA folk... I've been coming across this pretty excellent pledge that has been circulating through lots of the blogs I read (and was also part of the theme of a craft show I went to)-- Buy Handmade.
It's different than the Buy Nothing Day (which I wholeheartedly and belatedly hope you will learn more about!)... and it's pretty sweet. The gist of it is this: give things that are handmade-- whether you make it or a crafty person makes it for you.
If this sounds like it's up your alley, there is an EXCELLENT website called Etsy that is like Ebay for crafty people.  Check it out: www.etsy.com. 

hugs,
cielo

Gobble Gobble and good luck if you brave the crowds tomorrow

4am store openings?!?!?!?  I feel for the folks who need to work the retail stores at such a terrible hour the day after Thanksgiving and hope you still have some quality time with your family. I will be lucky to go to bed at 4am considering this is the time for me to visit my friends and family...and I can't stand the crowds that will certainly be there and ready to maul over the employees.

I am certainly not saying don't shop for the holidays...i would be fired if I were...you can keep your shopping to online and get on with more important things like your life.

There has been a lot in the news about worrysome toy manufacturing due to bad oversight. Co Op America, who we are proud members, work with companies to ensure their and our standards of quality, safety, workers rights, and environmental protections are protected from the manufacturer. They just released their top 10 green toys available this holiday season. Check it out.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone

Gobble Gobble

Grizz

Yay Nick and Jessica

Congrats to Nick (our sorta-lovely web designer) and Jessica (his lovely wife)! These lovebirds got hitched  over the weekend in Mexico and we are very very happy for you both. Thanks for being you, and thanks for making this your wedding picture too!  Que romantico!

Okay - enough of this schmoopy blog. Congrats Guys..we heart'cha

-your friends at Simple

this week in the environment

As an undecided voter (honestly), I do hope to see all candidates take a more active role in discussing Climate Change and Energy Independence. I was invited by our friends at StopGlobalWarming.Org to attend the Global Warming and America's Energy Future Presidential Future in West Hollywood. While all candidates were invited Dennis Kucinich, John Edwards, and Hillary Clinton attended. I am sure there are legitimate reasons why many of the candidates could not attend.

I took the drive down to LA, and was greeted to a warm fall day and the smog very much there. We arrived in parking lot that became what could be a Toyota (Prius) dealership (so a friendly crowd for the issue), and quickly learned that phones & cameras we not allowed. Strange, as this was an exciting experience for many of us attending. So it looks like this event was not recorded besides the handful of local press that reported sound bites from the event.

Grist.org had a live streamed web cast, but from what I can tell there is no recorded version of this. I am confused as to why that is...are campaigns not about learning where the candidates stand on the issues?

Anyways, here is my brief personal observation. All whom spoke get it. They know how the problems and benefits are inner connected. I was surprised by the thoughtfulness of Hillary Clintons action plan (though and mirrored to Edwards), the passion and commitment from Dennis Kucinich, and the thoughtfulness and ability for John Edwards to actually answer the question and have a conversation (though homeboy strayed off topic several times). It was a great experience, and I did walk away with a better understanding of their plans and am glad to see action would take place within the first months of their would-be presidency.

Grist and Outside have a glimpse at each of the candidates stances on global warming and the environment. Check it out, and decide for yourself.

I just hope the environment is in everyone's top 5 this election.

Bangladesh - It is so tragic to hear about the immense destruction in Bangladesh from the Cyclone, and can't help but think the Tsunami, the Southern California Fires, Katrina aren’t inner connected. The most horrible fact about global warming, climate change, and the plight of the environment is that the lowest of the low will suffer most.

The Bay - Thinking of back home, and upset about the neglect with the oil spill in the San Francisco Bay Area. Glad that Ahnold is on it. I do expect a quick clean-up as so many have mobilized to the cleanup effort...though who knows how long the legal battle will be. Exxon Valdez oil spill is still being resolvedas it goes to the high court. But I am stoked to see everyone for turkey day, and the unofficial ASPB and friends reunion in the city.

Electronic "recycling" doing more harm than good - It really sucks to hear about something like this. It seems that electronic recycling has risen significantly in the last few years (as opposed According to this article on CNN.com, 50-80% of the electronics recycled from the United States goes to facilities that endanger the workers, and harms the local environment. This is the type of deception we as a business stand against in the realms of global trade relations and the global movement to protect the environment. The people and the press will need to stay active to ensure we are not being taken advantage of for our good intentions. This needs to be fixed and fast.

Onward - grizz

Yeehaw Supahman! our sales meeting is over!

We just got back from launching our Fall 2008 Sales Meeting to those on our team from all over the world.

I want to thank UHaul for towing our broken down truck to the venue instead of to the mechanic. It would have been a disaster for the meeting to have the the product locked in an impounded Yall-haul. At the same time..no thanks for the 4.5 hour wait to be picked up.

 

At least Time and I got to chill on the 101 S. Coast ...snuggly tucked in between the cliffs, the freeway, more cliffs, and a sweet view of the Pacific. We are very fortunate to live on the central coast, and have this on our backyard. I suppose you could say that the surroundings breed the sustainable culture commonly found in our community.  Next time we'll pack some New Belgium Motheship.

We unveiled the fall product with a sweet fashion show the team put together. We worked a handful of great break and street dancers to make the show a little more exciting than just shoes (though you would never believe how obsessed with shoes shoe industry people are!). Pics on that will have to follow up on the blog. But a quick shoutout to Elb for coordinating, and the dancers who are so awesomely talented. The Fall product for 08 is looking awesome! Our product team does such a great job innovating style, comfort, and sustainability. You're goign to be blown away! (but Spring 08 for you consumers first! we'll be writing about the new stuff that is about to hit the shelves! you'll be stoked on our progress).

How does a nice little shoe company award its top sales reps, distributors, and brand builders? With personalized bobble heads! (much cooler than a plaque!). Congrats and thanks to John and Team Flagstaff for being Brand Builder of the Year, Luca for International Dist of the Year, and Wiz and Chad for Rep of the year.

In relations to a broken down UHaul, we celebrated the end of our meetings with a ho-down at the barn. It was a cultural expereince for our international friends, and a trying ones from our friends from the middle of America.

From the seriousness of the outfits (or money spent) in this picture (or lack of)..you can tell who is from Texas, and who lives in Cali. (if only i could rock aces like that! slick!) 

The kids from California and beyond learned line dancing (terribly myself), and how to improvise by passing the rope con Ranchero.

And if you ever need a congo leader, just hit up our friend from Flagstaff, and webmasta Rich.

Some green things going on at our sales meeting include -

*Washable utensils, napkins, etc at meals.

*Organic foods served

*Carpooling

*Shipped EVERYTHING in one truck.

*A cruiser bike used to get Monica to her room in the sticks (sorry about the mouse roomate)

*The hotel recycled! (not too many do! shame shame)

Thoughts and ideas about things we can do to be greener next sales meeting-

*Remind the hotel to stop putting down disposable coffee cups next to the washable ones at the drink stations.

*Charge our guests beer money for leaving their lights on when they leave their rooms - shame shame.

*Non-bottled water.

*Biodegrade Tim.

*Solar power generators?

*Drink directly from the keg tap...um, maybe not.

And I'll sign off with what might be considered an embarassing picture of myself (i never bought stock in "cool"..doh!)...but so goofy it would be a crime to share.

Grizz "Supahman!"

peep

This is where we make our shoes...

In case you're wondering (or have wondered) we've always made our shoes in China.  Other than some pretty sick hurraches we made back in the day in Mexico, China has always been the home of Simple manufacturing.   If you poke around the inside of your pair, you should be able to find the label that shows where your shoes were born.  Most likely, that label says China (whether you're wearing our shoes or someone else's).
We've been getting a bunch of emails about where we make our shoes.  And to be honest, a lot of these emails have bummed me out.  But yesterday, I got an amazing email that totally changed my point of view.
In case you didn't know, we're trying to change the way shoes are made... from the inside out.  We do this by using sustainable materials like car tires, recycled plastics, natural rubber, and organic cotton, reducing the amount of glues we use to make our (there's a bunch of other stuff, too).  As some of you know, when you're the one marching to the beat of a different drummer, the stepping is a bit challenging.  Along the way, most likely after everyone stops thinking you're weird, the criticism starts. 
Instead of taking it to heart, we're going to focus on the good stuff we're doing... every step forward takes a lot of work, and we're proud of what we're doing.  We hope you are, too.

hugs,
cielo

I've got all of these ideas...

But I'm too swamped with getting ready for the salesmeeting to jot them all down to share.  I'm hoping to whip something together about getting to meet Ira Glass (weee!), see an EKG in progress (a whoa experience), and Mon and my most recent, long, and fantastic trip to China.  In the meantime, I want to share something I saw that made me smile-- via swissmiss.

Is it crafty-time yet?  Check out the full project here... trust me... it's awesome!  Maybe come springtime, when our hemp versions of the Retire come out, I might puff paint some ogre feet?  Who knows?

huge hugs,
cielo