by Two Girls Go Green
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Disclaimer: No basketball performances were harmed during the making of these shoes

Did you know that Nike used to throw away all the leftover scraps of leather and rubber from its shoe making process? Thankfully, this is no longer true. These days, Nike's philosophy is much greener, "...[challenging] designers to use environmentally preferred materials, reduce waste, create sustainable manufacturing processes and use innovation to help reduce our overall environmental impact." For example, take the Nike Trash Talk shoe. Leftover leather and synthetic materials are stitched together in a distinctive patchwork pattern with a heavy-duty zig-zag stitch, then combined with a recycled rubber sole to create a sweet pair of sneakers.

It all started back in 2004, when Kasey Jarvis, a Nike product designer, observed mounds of "trash" at a factory's waste-management center in Vietnam. With an eye for art, Jarvis saw more product, not waste. Though it would take some convincing to get the whole Nike team on board, it was only a matter of time before Phoenix Suns' superstar Steve Nash proudly showed off the new kicks last year at the 2008 NBA All-Star game.

Now, one year later, these beauteous shoes have made a big leap once again. Only this time it was at the International Design Excellence Awards where the shoes won "Best in Show." Judge Valerie Casey from this year's jury proclaimed, "The Trash Talk shoe is the hero of Nike's hyper-progressive and innovative sustainability program. High concept, aesthetics and performance--in combination with a smart and comprehensive eco-manufacturing methodology--make this shoe the holy grail of conscious consumption." Eco-friendly, durable, cool looking, athletic... I wonder if they still make that squeaky basketball sound on the courts?