ECCO’s Leather Story

by ecco on January 27, 2012

ECCO is the 3rd largest producers of quality leather in the world, and only top quality leathers are produced at ECCO’s tanneries which supply ECCO’s shoe factories and external customers. ECCO produces 27.8 million square feet of leather annually.

ECCO has been producing since 1986 and the ECCO leather group, today, has 4 production units: Netherlands, Indonesia, Thailand and China. ECCO Shoes uses 85% of the leather that ECCO produces, and the remaining 15% is sold externally to high end third parties.

The tannery in the Netherlands is home to the ECCO leather headquarters and the research and development team there are constantly investigating more environmentally friendly production methods as well as developing new and innovative types of leather. It is the only centre of it’s kind in the Netherlands-with tradesmen who are highly skilled in what they do.

ECCO’s tanning process is conducted in compliance with the strictest environmental rules:

The Leather Making Process:

1. ECCO imports raw hide from all over the world (as waste) and the supplier is controlled and checked vigorously.

2. The leather is washed several times in large drums to remoe dirt, hair and natural fat

3. The hhide is processed to cut off excess fat and make the hides slimmer. They are then checked in laboratories if the leather is not damaged (wounds, insect bites, gun wounds, leather disease)

4. The hide then goes in to the tannery where it undergoes a chemical tanning process to make it soft, flexible and stable in water. At this point, the hides are referred to as wet blue, becuase of the blue-green shade which they acquire after treatment.

5. The wet-blue is re-tanned in drums with colour and is dried, stretched, toggled, sprayed and pressed to get the right look, feel and quality of the finished leather. It takes 10-17 times for the leather to retain the correct colour.

ECCO prides itself on keeping the whole process from cow to shoe in house. This way they can ensure quality, standard of working conditions, an environmentally friendly process and that the highest quality leather is produced to make the shoes they are so famous for.

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ECCO Men’s Formal Shoe- Biarritz Seaside

by ecco on January 23, 2012

ECCO BIARRITZ

If you’re looking for a formal shoe with a bit of attitude, than the ECCO Biarritz is the perfect choice. This modern dress shoe with a strikingly fashionable look is made of full grain leather with brogue detailing.

It has fully leather lining for optimum breathability with a removable, leather topped inlay sole to provide any extra width if needed. The light, flexible sole with added shock absorption will make a day at work much more comfortable, with you still being on your feet after a long day in the office whilst your colleagues can’t wait to take off their shoes.

The leather welt provides an exclusive look adding to the modern style and attitude of the shoe. This is a great option for the business man who likes to wear something with a bit more detailing but loves comfort.

ECCO Mens Formal Brogue Shoe

A classic look ECCO Brogue shoe

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Make a Statement with your ECCO Shoes

by ecco on January 20, 2012

ECCO Spin- City

 

Looking for that comfy, casual shoe that will brighten up any outfit? Or purely like making a statement with your feet? Then these are definitely the shoes for you.

In sizes 35-42 the ECCO Spin has a variety of gorgeous colours including fuchsia and burnt ochre. The uppers are made from perforated leather, metallic leather or patent leather depending on the style you choose. With perforated leather lining too, the materials are naturally soft, light and highly breathable for those hot summer days to come. The super soft removable inlay sole conforms to you individual footprint and the moisture-absorbent circulation system provides a cool, hygienic environment for your feet all day long.

One of our first Spring/Summer 2012 arrivals, The ECCO Spin is definitely a fantastic choice of shoe that will go brilliantly with a pair of shorts, or jeans for those cooler days.

This shoe comes in at £90 and is guaranteed comfort, and style all summer long

 

ECCO Casual shoes

A fab shoe in 5 fab colour combinations

 

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New Year…New You

by ecco on January 12, 2012

New year New You- in a pair of Biom?!

So, we’re well into the new year…and dare we ask, how are your new year’s resolutions going and is your ‘keep fit’ regime going well?!

If not, don’t fear- we have 10 top tips for motivating yourself and improving your training!

1. Goals

Every week for six weeks, make three short term goals to achieve in your training.

This could be something simple like taking the stairs instead of the lift/cycling to work twice a week or something a little more challenging such as increase my running by 2km per week.

As the week’s go by you should make the goals more difficut, but what you goal is depends completely on where your personal fitness level is.

2. Plan

If you are going for a meal (we all need a treat…it won’t ruin your hard work!) then plan what you are going to eat and drink before you go; and stick to it! Most restaurants have their menu’s online so choose something that is healthy but you will still enjoy.

3. Explore

Try a new exercise. Most people do the same work out day in day out- and yes, if you ask most people they will tell you they ARE bored of it! Variety is important by physically and mentally when it comes to consistency in your training. Try swapping one of your gym sessions for a swim, or get out on your bike a couple of times a week. This will provide both variety and a change of scenery for you.

4. The Scales…

Don’t weigh yourself every day (or even twice a day!). Your weight fluctuates throughout the day and so weighing yourself all the time can be de-moralising and de-motivating. Once a week is plenty.

5. Work towards something

Enter an event- without direction in your fitness programme, you can get lost. Fix a date in your diary, and give yourself something to work towards- a goal and a timeline. Choose your challenge and then fit a training programme around it.

6. Temperature

Central heating and air conditioning can play havoc with our bodies- making us lethargic and de-motivated, so do an outdoor activity at leasst twice each week.

7. Frequency

Exercise ever 48 hours. Raising your metabolism is crucial to burning calories. And, every time you exercise, you burn calories at a faster rate for the length if the training session and for up to 12 hours after you finish!

8. Find a Friend

Get yourself a workout partner. Exercising with someone (whether a friend or a personal trainer) has proven to be more successful in reaching goals

9. Use opportunities

Provided you don’t live too far away, why don’t you use your journey to and from work as your exercise time? walk, run or cycle the distance to maximise your limited time

10. Keep a diary

Make a note of your exercies. By planning your exercise programme in advance, then writing down what you’ve achieved, you can see if you are skipping parts of your training or dropping whole sessions on a regular basis and not compensating.

And, if those top tips aren’t enough to help you on your way, why not treat yourself to new gear to work out in?!

Mens ECCO Biom Train

Mens Biom Train

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See the wholeMens Biom Range

Ladies ECCO Biom Train

Ladies Biom Train

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See the whole Ladies Biom range

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What not to throw away in your

wardrobe clearout this season…

So, with Winter nearly behind us and the new Spring/Summer Collection hitting high street shops as we speak, that time of year is looming when you sort your wardrobe out; whether that’s ‘changing’ your wardrobe over or simply having a clearout to make way for some new items.

But stop!! Don’t go any further until you have read on to find out what you can keep in your wardrobe heading into Spring that are, infact, carrying on from Autumn/Winter 2011. Throwing those away would be simply a disaster.

1. Pencil Skirts

They’re here for the long run!! The pencil skirt is staying…and the word on the street is ‘the tighter the better’! The pencil skirt and stiletto look creates a curvacious slimming (yes that is possible!) look all you young professional looking to make an impact. It, however, is one of the most versatile fashions- adding a touch of femininity and elegance to any occassion. An absolute wardrobe must have for 2012!!!

2. Maxis and Minis

Heading into Spring, it’s all about extremes- you need to choose one way or the other…are you going long? or short? Of course, if you can’t decide…why not have one of each. What the fashion experts are saying WON’T be a hit is mid, calf length styles. There are some fab styles in all the major high street retailers already, we really don’t think you’ll be spoilt for choice this season…and if you keep reading, we’ll even tell you the colours you may want to keep an eye out for!

3. Ankle Socks

The ankle sock is staying for a fourth season! And it looks fabolous with a mini skirt or short shorts, some killer heels. Bonus? They’ll keep your toes warm on those slightly cooler Spring days! One tip though, this fashion will only work if your footwear is chunky, heels high and straps intricate and strappy. Wearing them with flat sandals is a no go!

4. Over sized hats

Following on from our Autumn/Winter post about hats, they’re staying! Or, the oversized ones, anyway. This fashion trend wasn’t born on the catwalk, instead our favourite celebs and stylistas on the street set this craze going. This style covers oversized trilby’s, 70′s floppy and the off beat boater and is the perfect accessory for any Spring/Summer day- whether it’s to shelter you from the rain or keep the sun out of your eyes!

5. Colours to Keep

And the good news…there is a whole host of colours that you can keep wearing too! Amongst them include:

Pastel Mixes- this season is all about layering pastel shadestogether and making yourself notably like an ice cream sundae…with, all the tastiness and scrumminess of one, but of course without the cherry on top.

Neons- Whether it’s shocking pink, aqua, lime or yellow, team your neons with neutral colours such as camel, beige or brown to brighten your Spring look.

Gold- Back to the 70′s! This Egyptian, strikingly bright gold colour is back in a big way! This colour can be worn for pretty much any occassion- whether its partying, going out for dinner or adding a splash of ‘something’ to your work outfit

Yellow-The colour with all the dimensions!! Yellow comes in lemon, neon, dark, light, daisy…and the list goes on. It adds the perfect lift to any Spring/Summer wardrobe and looks great with a tan!

So, we hope that’s enough to keep you going until we have some Spring/Summer trends to update you with! We’d love to hear what you think, and if there are any more trends you want to keep in your wardrobe from last year…

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How to ensure your new shoes are the perfect fit

January 3, 2012 Everything ECCO

10 Top Shoe Fitting Tips   Here at ECCO we know the value of slipping a pair of comfy shoes on. We understand how important it is to find footwear which hugs your feet yet still allows them to breathe AND be comfortable enough to wear them all day long. So, read on to find [...]

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Careful Care in Killer Heels

December 29, 2011 Everything ECCO

Can’t resist the temptation…? So, can you quite believe you’re planning your party outfit for New Years eve again?! It only seems like yesterday that the dilemma of where to go, what to wear, how to accessorise and what shoes would be alright on the night was the subject of discussion for New Years Eve [...]

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Explore the Great Outdoor with ECCO Walking

December 22, 2011 Everything ECCO

Explore the Great Outdoors University Parks- Oxford: The University parks are situated in the heart of Oxford University and consist of approximately 70 acres of parkland on the west bank of the River Cherwell. The park includes sports areas, gardens, and a collection of plants and trees in landscaped surroundings. The parks are beautifully quiet [...]

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Prepare for Winter- ECCO Snow Boots and Fur Lined Boots

December 16, 2011 Uncategorized

Prepare for Winter: For many months now, weather forecasters have been predicting that Snow and Ice will grip the country in one of the worst Winters for a long time. November was dubbed ‘Snowvember’ and we higher than average temperatures, and then it was declared that this Autumn was the second highest on record. But, [...]

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ECCO Shoes Christmas Sale- Online Now

December 13, 2011 Events at ECCO Oxford

ECCO Shoes Sale Wow, it only seems like yesterday that we were planning for and getting busy with the last 2010 Christmas Sale, let alone the Summer one and now the Christmas Sale 2011 is upon us! After a couple of manic weeks here ar HQ, we are pleased to announce the launch of our [...]

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