El Naturalista shoes, handmade in Spain, aim to inspire all of us to be naturalists, people who explore and observe the world around them on their own two feet.

And if those feet have Naturalista shoes on, they’re bound to feel comfortable for miles and miles in cushioned, anatomic and ergonomic footbeds. Really. Once you try them, you’ll be convinced. Plus, they come in a number of funky models, all inspired by nature, my favorite being the red Ginkgo ankle boot.

But it gets better. This company goes the distance to practice environmental principles, one shoe at a time. Albeit they are made from leather, but beyond that, they are colored with all-natural vegetable dyes and housed in recycled rubber wherever possible. As a business, El Naturalista pays fair wages, avoids harmful substances, limits pollution and recycles everything it can.

Since last September, Santa Monica has housed the one and only U.S. Naturalista store on Montana. And, the spring collection has just arrived! So, it’s prime time to go check them out and begin hiking and taking field notes in supremely comfortable, good-for-you shoes, knowing you’re supporting a company that’s doing good in the world, one step at a time.

You can find out more about the store in Santa Monica here.

And view El Naturalista’s men and women’s spring collections here.

El Naturalista
1230 Montana Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 230-5688