The Earth(R) Brand Shoe Turns 40!!!

WALTHAM, Mass., March 29 /PRNewswire/ -- What has been referred to as the first shoe to ever 'make a social statement,' the Earth® brand of footwear is preparing to celebrate its 40th birthday on April 22nd, 2010.  The milestone coincides with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day – what is widely regarded as the preeminent celebration to mark appreciation of the environment.

The Earth Shoe® -- known today as Earth® Footwear to complement a broader lifestyle product assortment that includes fit flops, boots, and walking shoes – has recognized many notable milestones throughout its history:

• April 1970 – The first Earth brand shoe store opens on East 17th Street in New York City, coinciding with the world's first celebration of Earth Day.
• 1971 – The Earth brand shoe becomes the symbol of the 'casual revolution' started on college campuses around the country.  Comfort and wellness inform the thinking of many progressive young people nationwide.
• 1974 – TIME Magazine publishes an extensive story on the Earth brand shoe.  Demand soars.  A full-page ad appears in national publications stating, "Please Be Patient.  We're Making Our Shoes as Fast as We Can!"
• 1975 – The Metropolitan Museum of Art places an Earth brand shoe in its permanent collection, securing its place as an icon that balances both form and function.
• 1980's and 1990's – Unable to keep up with burgeoning demand, the Earth brand shoe in its first incarnation is no longer able to be sold at retail.  Regional networks of consumer loyalists develop, petitioning to bring back the Earth brand shoe in some form.
• Early 1990's – Restoring the name and its technologies, the Earth® brand is re-scoped and re-vitalized as a new company -- Earth, Inc.  New fashion-forward styling and an expanded assortment - all of which features Earth's signature 3.7 degrees inclined sole – define the enterprise.
• 2001 – 2002 – The Earth® brand is re-launched.  Noting its re-emergence, famed European shoe designer, Manolo Blahnik, remarks in a June TIME Magazine article "…(Earth) was the first shoe to make a social statement …"
• 2003 – Earth distribution expands into markets including Canada, Japan, Italy and Australia
• 2004 – Leading the sustainable footwear design evolution, Earth becomes one of the first shoe manufacturers to introduce water-based adhesives throughout 100% of its line
• 2008 – Reputable industry trade publication, Footwear Plus, honors Earth with an "Excellence in Design" award
• 2010 – Leveraging the platform of its founding, April 22nd, 2010, and the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, Earth takes a giant step forward in the area of environmental stewardship, introducing an entirely biodegradable sole that decomposes 10x faster in the ground relative to an ordinary shoe

About Earth® Footwear

*Earth® Footwear is a brand of Earth, Inc. and is based in Waltham, Massachusetts.  For more information, please visit earthfootwear.com, or contact Emily Sennesh at Tracy Paul & Company.  (212) 741-5459.  [email protected].

SOURCE Earth(R) Footwear