PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- DEEP E CO., Portland-based footwear manufacturer, has signed a license agreement with Woody Harrelson to develop and produce a line of hemp-based environmental shoes.
The theme of the new DEEP E CO. footwear line will reflect Harrelson's deep-rooted commitment and activism in support of various global environmental causes, among the most prominent of which is the fight to save the Headwaters Forest in Northern California -- one of the world's largest and most pristine redwood forests still in existence.
Harrelson's well-publicized advocacy for promoting the use of industrial hemp in textiles, paper and other applications is based in large part on the strategy of substituting hemp fiber for wood fiber and thus helping to save forest ecosystems throughout the world. Among its many environmental benefits, hemp is an important renewable resource that does not require high inputs of toxic agri-chemicals and water for cultivation. Functionally, it's about three times stronger than cotton, has twice the abrasion resistance and is naturally resistant to mold and bacteria, so it makes a great material for footwear application. Harrelson has been at the forefront of the movement to reintroduce industrial hemp agriculture here in the U.S., a commercial activity which is now practiced in over 26 countries, including Germany, Australia, France and throughout Asia.
The partnership between DEEP E CO. and Harrelson was initiated last February when DEEP E CO. co-founders Julie Lewis (President) and Bob Farentinos (Executive VP and COO) met with Harrelson in Kentucky to discuss the development of the footwear line.
Prior to starting DEEP E CO., Lewis and Farentinos provided the environmental focus and credibility at Deja, Inc. as former executives of that pioneering footwear company. While at Deja, Inc., the duo helped to create and introduce some of the first successful hemp footwear in the industry. According to Harrelson, ``I'd been a supporter of Deja for a long time, and when I decided to become personally involved in my own hemp footwear line, I wanted to make sure I had the right people making my shoes. After meeting with Julie and Bob, it was clear to me that DEEP E CO. was the best choice for ensuring that my footwear products would be made and promoted in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.''
DEEP E CO.'s first licensed product will be called the ``Headwaters,'' to symbolize the ongoing battle to keep this ancient redwood grove safe from the destructive effects of road building and clear-cut logging. In the last century over two million acres of ancient redwood forest, which once blanketed the California Coast, has been logged over. Today, less than four percent of this irreplaceable wilderness remains intact. The six ancient forest groves within the 60,000 acre Headwaters Forest are some of the last old-growth sanctuaries for many unique plant and animal species, most of which, like the Marbled Murrelet, Coho Salmon and Spotted Owl, are threatened with extinction.
``The DEEP E CO. Headwaters captures both the spirit and functionality of the cause,'' exclaims DEEP E CO. CEO, Gary Wells. ``The shoe is a stylish day-hiker. Something you'd wear to go trekking through a redwood forest and at the same time feel good about what you have on your feet.'' Harrelson is giving a major portion of his proceeds from the sale of the shoe to various environmental organizations working to save the Headwaters Forest.
In addition to a hemp canvas upper, the DEEP E Co. Headwaters will incorporate a variety of other environmental materials including an outsole made of 45 percent postconsumer recycled tire rubber, recycled polyester lining and recycled EVA sockliner and midsole. Like all DEEP E CO. footwear, the Headwaters will be assembled using water-based adhesives, eliminating the health and environmental impacts associated with solvent-based glues more typically used in the footwear industry. On the technical side, the hemp canvas upper will be treated with an environmentally sensitive water repellent compound and the outsole will be reinforced with a steel shank for torsional rigidity and support.
Scheduled for delivery around late October, the DEEP E CO. Headwaters will be available in both high- and low-cut versions, men's and women's sizes and British khaki and black color ways. Estimated retail price will be about $80.
As a cause-led business, DEEP E CO. is committed to achieving a sustainable future for the planet. Guided by the principles of ecology and sustainable development, the company strives to manufacture high-quality, casual footwear and accessories using materials and processes that minimize waste and help to conserve biological diversity.
SOURCE: DEEP E CO.