Walking Lightly on Earth Day

Softstar Shoes B Corp Certification

PHILOMATH, Ore., April 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Softstar Shoes is proud to announce its recent certification as a B Corporation, a stamp of approval for the company's practices of environmental and social responsibility. Softstar is an iconic shoe brand that has been designing and handcrafting minimal leather footwear since 1985, and the B Corp certification confirms the company's ongoing commitment to walking lightly on the earth.

Softstar was founded four decades ago by Tim Oliver, who built his original shoe-making workshop out of a broken-down school bus to make healthy footwear for his young daughters. Tim, an unapologetic hippie, lived frugally, utilized resources sparingly, and established a community dedicated to preserving nature and promoting long-term sustainability. Softstar has grown into a 12,000 square foot workshop in rural Oregon, continuing to thrive even after 37 years.

The company's delightful shoes are renowned globally for their high-quality construction that allows ample room for feet to move and function like they're barefoot, all while being protected. Softstar not only strives to assist its customers in developing strong foundations and healthy feet but also prides itself on surpassing the norm and making a positive impact. Their business model is designed to support their employees, the environment, and the local community.

After taking over the company from Oliver in 2005, Tricia Salcido modernized while respecting the company's original purpose. Despite Oliver's monumentally high standards, Salcido remained resolute carrying forward a sustainability ethos as cornerstone of the company's mission, along with making the workshop a positive place to thrive.

"We spend 35% or more of our waking hours in our job, and we should strive to make that work enjoyable, purposeful, and impactful. One of our core values is making Softstar a joyful place to work – and all the good we do together flows from that central, cultural force."

– Softstar CEO Tricia Salcido

Beyond its commitment to providing high-quality, custom-colored footwear, the company's business model embraces the environment and local community while employees enjoy wellness benefits, team activities, and ongoing training opportunities. Softstar's sustainable culture includes an energy-efficient, family-friendly workshop that is wind and solar-powered as well as a beautiful employee garden. The company donates 100% of revenue from scrap-made pet toys to charity and has been one of Oregon's 100 greenest companies for eight years in a row.

The B Corp certification is a third-party validation of a company's claims of meeting high standards of environmental and social stewardship. To achieve certification, a company must pass a rigorous assessment and score well, go through several levels of audits, and change its corporate structure to be a benefit corporation. This process takes over a year to accomplish, and companies that display the "B Corp" logo are trusted to not be greenwashing their products and services.

Softstar joins the esteemed footwear ranks of AllBirds, Toms, and Vivo Barefoot in being B-Corporation certified. CEO Tricia Salcido hopes that Softstar's certification will inspire other companies to become B Corps and pursue sustainability wholeheartedly.

About Softstar Shoes:

Softstar is a certified B Corp that has been designing and handcrafting minimal leather footwear in the USA since 1985.

Contact:

Anna Lammers

541-936-9300

[email protected]

Softstar Shoes

Philomath, OR 97370

SOURCE Softstar Shoes