Win a pair of ECCO shoes*

Here at ECCO Oxford we love everything shoes…including the shoe boxes!! And, as a company that is conscious of the environment around us and where we can do our bit to help our Carbon Footprint (shoes/feet again- see?!), we love to recycle all those shoe boxes, donate them to the local community for shoe box appeals or school projects, and re-use them in our day-to-day lives.

So, a few weeks ago we thought it’d be fun to run a competition in February (after those January Blues!) to see if we could, with the help of you guys, get 101 (or more!) different uses for a shoe box. They are, after all, pretty useful!

Throughout the month of February we will be asking you to submit your uses/potential uses for a shoe box (other than storing shoes)- and the winner, most imaginative entry, chosen at the end of the month–will win a pair of shoes from our new season collection*.

You can either leave a comment on the blog post below (please note, it won’t appear automatically, it may take 24 hours), on our Facebook and Twitter pages and in store. Please note, if you submit via Facebook or Twitter, your entry will be re-posted on the blog with your user name, and our contact email in the ‘email’ field. Don’t worry, if you win we will contact via your chosen channel and get a contact address for you

We’re looking forward to hearing your suggestions- and to get the competition started, our shop manager has a very novel use for her old shoe boxes:

*Terms and Conditions Apply. The winning entry must have a delivery address in the UK to send their prize to. Pair of shoes to the value of £80

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.

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.

A classic look ECCO Brogue shoe

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

A fab shoe in 5 fab colour combinations

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 Biom Train

See the wholeMens Biom Range

Ladies Biom Train

See the whole Ladies Biom range

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…

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 some top fitting tips to help you find the perfect shoes. (p.s. it might be something to do with a friend!)

1. If you use any form of inserts in your shoes (insoles or orthoses) place them in the shoes before the fitting commences.

2. Ensure both feet are on, correctly fastened, and your weight is event distributed between both feet.

3. Check the gap at the front of your shoes- between the toe and the end. There must be a minimum of 6mm (preferabley 10mm) in front of the longest toe.

4. When you look at the shoe on your foot, the natural shape of the upper of the shoe should not be distorted by the foot. This may indicate pressure on the top or side of the toe and toe joints.

5. Draw a finger across the top of the shoe- there should be a slight rippling of the leather (but not too much, this would indicate the shoe is too wide…)

6. When walking, check that the the shoe does not slip, the shoe flexes easily at the front, and no pressure is felt by the wearer whilst walking.

7. Most of us have one foot bigger than the other- ensure you fit your shoes to the bigger foot.

8. Don’t buy shoes that feel too tight and extect to stretch them

9. When you have the shoes home, walk around in them on carpet to make sure they fele right. If not, return within the return period, don’t risk it.

10. If one shoe feels slightly big, you can always add an insole to make the shoe the perfect fit for you.

We hope this helps, and if yu have more questions please do not hesitate to contact us on 01865 728 728 or leave them below.

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 2010.

And, the final decision more often than not includes some killer heels that you have persuaded yourself you will be fine to dance the night away in (and often regret 2 hours into your night…).

With those problems being familiar to many of us, what more appropriate blog post than how to make those killer heels a little easier to manage:

1.prepare for the worst

Every single one of us has the good intention of lasting all night with when we leave the house at 8pm, but prepare for the worst. You know those folding ballet shoes?! Why not pop some in your bag so that when you have a quiet few minutes or have to trawl the streets for a taxi…you can do it in comfort! Another option- wear your comfy shoes to the venue (restaurant, pub, bar) pop them in the cloakroom and have a quick change when you get there quick change when you leave.

2. Look after your feet

Rather than hopping in the shower, out of the shower, and then  putting the killer heels on…take 5 minutes to scrub, and moisturise. This will make it feel like you are walking on air, even if your heels are 5 inches in height. If you’re REALLY committed to looking after your feet, why not drown your feet in moisturiser before you go to bed, sleep in socks so that they can soak the goodness up, and be like new in the morning.

3. Break your shoes in

Never buy a new pair of shoes and venture out in them immediately. All new shoes need breaking in. Wear them round the house, on short trips to the pub and gradually increase the amount of time you wear up to the big night to ensure maximum comfort and pleasure on the big night.

4. Use gel inserts

Gel inserts go into your shoe and sit at the bottom of your heel right where the ball of your foot should fall. This makes walking easier, reducing the pressure on the ball of your foot and stopping that burning feeling when you have worn your shoes just that little bit too long.

5. Stretch and stretch

Not so much for the one off that is New Years Eve, but for those of us who LOVE to wear heels day in day out, there is a way to reduce to discomfort that contiued wear produces. Heels aren’t so kind to our hamstrings and pilates, yoga and stretching exercises can help to limit and ease damage and discomfort caused.

We hope that these top 5 tips help to ease discomfort and ensure you see the new year in ease. If you have any more suggestions about how to cope with those problems that high heels give, please leave them below

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 at this time of year, and the range of colours on the trees are simply breathtaking. A quiet stroll around the paths, admiring the landscape and surrounding University buildings is the perfect way to spend a quiet Sunday afternoon. While you’re there, why not have a look at their some 150 different tree varieties

The parks recently won an award from the Oxford Preservation Trust for the contribution made to the preservation and enhancement of Oxford’s heritage. It is home to a quaint sitting bridge across the River Cherwell in the East corner of the park and is said to be one of the first pre-stressed fixed arch bridges in the world. It is now the middle bridge along the cycle track to Marston which opened in 1994. The parks are also home to the man made ‘lily pad pond’ which is iver 50 metres in diameter.

Christmas Common- Watlington

Christmas Common, aptly name it is thought, because of the abundance of holly trees that grow there, is perched on top of a hill on the border of Oxfordshire and Berkshire. With a gorgeous country pub and miles of beautiful English countryside everywhere you turn, this little village is full of exploration for any family. Anything from a 3  mile walk starting and ending in the village, to the Ridgeway and also some stunning woodland with a massive amount of character.

A continuuing favourite with families, is the Chiltern scultpure trail in the Cowleaze wood at Christmas Common. With a total of 21 scultpures in the shape of benches, wing mirrors, painted steel, aluminium a(and the list goes on) following the trail and finding the next sculpture will keep the children entertained for hours.

For more challenging walks that encorporate steep inclines, distance in the double figures and a variety of woodland and field a simple Google search will present you with many options.

Keep your eyes peeled at Christmas Common for their most famous residents- the beautiful Red Kite bird.

Shotover Park- outskirts of Oxford

Shotover park is a whole hillside of hidden valleys, sudden views and varied habitats which are open to the public all year round. The park falls into two main parts- the southern slopes of Shotover Hill and the predominantly wooded land near the Oxford bypass.

The landscape of Shotover is mayeb what makes is so interesting to explore- with a series of traverse slopes, small valleys woods and clearings…with so much to offer you could visit hundreds of times and see something new every time.

Maybe one of its biggest features for generations of children is a natural sandpit where youngsters spend hours building castles or damming the tiny stream.

The ECCO Walking boots that fit the exploring bill:

A less heavy duty walking shoe- in Mens and Ladies

ECCO Wells III

A light weight ECCO trainer style walking shoewith EPR 4.0 performance rubber sole for grip, durability and flexibility. Uppers in Oiled NuBuck and a textile lining for breathability with cushioned ankle pads and tongue for extra comfort

View Mens Wells III

View Ladies Wells III

Available in mens and ladies

Sayan Lo II GTx

This shoe is made in Yak leather oiled NuBuck- a strong yet supple material. It has a Gore-tex membrane which is 100% guaranteed waterproof and a direct injection PU sole for shock absoprtion. It is a superior performance shoe with superb fit, comfort and excellent traction.

View Mens Sayan Lo II GTx

View Ladies Sayan Lo II GTx

This walking shoe with colour burst comes in both mens and ladies

ECCO Outing

A fabulous looking shoe with colour detail- Purple for men and Green for ladies. With Gore-tex membrane to ensure it is waterproof, and receptor technology  for stability during walking.

See the ladies shoe- the Outing

See the mens equivalent- the Celebrity

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, this week the bad weather really has hit!

With areas around the country being given a high risk weather warning, snow falling and chilling temperatures here at ECCO (as we all huddle round hot chocolates at our desks!) we truly believe Winter is here…and are kind of hoping for a White Christmas! Some areas of the country are predicting up to 8cm of snow and coast lines bracing themselves for high windsand the whole nation is layering up in preparation for sub zero temperatures.

So, with all that in mind…not ony do you get a tough time, but your shoes get it even tougher!! They bear the brunt as they wade through snow or splash through pubbles. So looking after them is essential. Read on to find some top shoe care tips for your weather beaten shoes:

Shoe care tips for the snow:

1. Ensure your shoes are treated with a waterproofing spray before you wear them in the bad weather- this will reduce the likelihood of permanent damage to the leather when/if they get wet. If the snow is heavy, ensure you treat your shoes twice a week.

2. If your shoes do get wet, ensure you clean them with a foam cleaner to remove any salt marks that the snow might have and then treat with Waterproofing spray

3. To dry out wet shoes stuff with newspaper and leave to dry naturally. Keep away from the radiator- this will dry the leather out too much

ECCO Snow Boots:

The ECCO ‘Talus’. A stylish Gore-tex annd wamr lined boot to keep your feet protected and wrm however much snow we get!

The ECCO Slope- A neat Black calf length boot with Gore-tex membrane andfur lining for extra comfort.

The ECCO Cliff. A shorter version of the ECCO Talus (above) this boot offers an ideal alternative to the Talus for a shorter boot in length.