Ethical brand spotlight: Live and Luca

Friendly Rooster just received more spring styles from Live and Luca.  To quote Oprah, "what we know for sure" is that www.FriendlyRooster.com is proud to carry this brand.  Their shoes are literally one-of-a-kind.  Let us share a little about this amazing brand with you.

Livie and Luca was founded in 2005 by mom's Mitzi Rivas and Amie Garcia.  They founded the company on the philosophy that they wanted to live a meaningful life and to spread joy.  The joy, of course, comes from the original and whimsical design of their shoes.  Anyone who spends any time at all on Pinterest can see how often their styles are "pinned". I pinned the Peacock shoe we carry at FR, and within an hour it had been "repinned" and "liked" 5 times!  You can see for yourself at http://pinterest.com/friendlyrooster/

Currently available on our site

Livie and Luca shoes are handmade, and one could argue that they are a work of art.  They are not mass produced on an assembly line.  That means that each pair is as unique as the child who wears them.  The shoes, in addition to being adorable, are also durable.  They are able to navigate playgrounds, country roads, and city streets.

Something to look forward to...these will be available soon

So, that covers the "Joy".  What about "the meaningful life"?  THAT comes through in how they chose to run their company and manufacturer their shoes.  Check this out:

• 10% of their online sales is donated to charity
• They partner with their customers and Art for Humanity (www.artforhumanity.org ) to donate gently worn shoes to children in Honduras
• They work with companies that use no harmful chemicals in their leather tanning process
• Leather is lead free
• Non-toxic glue is used in shoe production
• Shoe boxes are made of 50% recycled paper
• Brochures, business cards, and postcards are printed on post-consumer product and use soy ink
• They choose factories that pay their workers a competitive salary (above the minimum wage), allow for accrued vacation time, and pay health benefits

Livie and Luca shoes may cost more than the shoes you can find at your local mall chain or department store.  But when you purchase these shoes for your child, you are also giving back and aligning yourself with a company who takes the higher ground.  That's something you just cannot put a price on.