Many shoe designers start their careers because they either can't find the type of shoe that they want or because they are inspired to create their own shoe design. Both of these scenarios fit the beginning story for Vegetarian Shoes. This shoe design company was founded in 1990 by a vegetarian who wanted to create a great looking shoe that used a material other than leather.

Vegetarian Shoes - The Beginning
Vegetarian Shoes was founded by an artist who just happened to be a vegetarian. After art school, Robin Webb, the founder of Vegetarian Shoes, read a story about people in Africa who were making shoes from old tire rubber. This story of ingenuity and practical recycling inspired him to come up with his own shoe design.

The first problem that Webb ran into was finding a breathable but durable material to use for his shoes. Fortune shined on Webb when he found a synthetic material used by yachters to upholster their boats. This material looked and felt like real leather, however, it was breathable, which was unusual for a synthetic-plastic material.

Vegetarian Shoes started out with a basic, handmade, lace-up shoe design that Webb made himself. The line's popularity exploded, and soon Webb was designing and manufacturing boots, shoes, sandals and even belts. Today Webb doesn't manufacture the shoes. Instead, this part of the business is farmed out to co-op manufacturers in Britain and other countries in Europe. Webb, however, still runs the sales end of things at a Brighton shoe shop.

Current Vegetarian Shoes Line
The current Vegetarian Shoes enterprise has expanded to include several distinct shoe lines. The casual sports line is one of the most popular. It includes shoe designs like the Slouch Shoe, the Aztec Shoe and X-trainers. The women's shoe line is also very popular. In this line, you will find designs like the Audrey Shoe, the Creeper and the Esme Loafer. Other lines offered by Vegetarian Shoes include women's boots, men's shoes, men's boots, off-road/hiking shoes, Airseal footwear, Birkenstock sandals, general sandals and slip-ons and safety footwear. Vegetarian Shoes have also branched out into other clothing and accessory products such as jackets, belts and bags.

Ready for lesson number nine from the shoe encyclopedia? With such a thirst for knowledge on shoes, you could have a head start on some great careers in the field of shoes. This week you will learn about some kicks that will help you get control of that static, help control the moisture levels inside those boots and sneakers, learn about shoes with a vegetarian habit and a specific type of equestrian boots. Whether you have been keeping up with the shoe encyclopedia or not, you can always start somewhere. Past lessons can be caught up with and don't forget to come back for the next lesson in the shoe encyclopedia.

Static Dissipating
Too much static got your hair standing on end? Regular shoes and boots are made so that the static charge is reduced, but some professions require that people handle a great deal of static electricity, such as manufacturing computer parts. Static dissipating footwear reduces the risk of static shock to the person wearing these shoes, as well as to the products they may be manufacturing.

Dri-Lex
Dri-Lex is used in moisture control. It is composed from two different types of moisture-resistant fibers that are knitted together for maximum protection. The fibers are called hydrophilic nylon fiber and hydrophobic polyester. It is commonly used as an anti-microbial treatment on the insoles of a variety of boots and shoes, such as sneakers, casuals and hiking boots.

Vegetarian Shoes
Can shoes really be vegetarian? It appears that they can be. While vegetarian shoes are not meat-eaters, they aren't exactly vegetable eaters. Let's hope they aren't eating anything. Vegetarian shoes are made from synthetic materials without the use of leather. Vegetarian shoes come in casuals, dress shoes, boots, slippers and more.

Jodhpur Boots
Jodhpur boots are generally used for horseback riding and other equestrian-related tasks. These are low-cut and can come in laced or twin gore styles. Jodhpur boots are generally lightweight. Some are waterproof or have other special features. They can be made from a variety of materials.