I was recently in the New Balance showroom to look at their new collections. Not much revolutionary in the sneaker world, but I found their new Aravon line very interesting. Apparently a large number of podiatrists recommend New Balance sneakers to middle-aged women who were having foot problems, so the company created a line of more classical casual non-athletic shoes called Aravon for active people who need a bit more support from their footwear. The line is all womens, and various models are designed for daily routines in the workplace, being around the home, and for traveling. I think my mom needs a few pairs of these.
New Balance has been doing a lot of research into creating sustainable athleticwear. Their lightning dry fabrics are starting to incorporate a lot of recycled materials. A major component is cocona, a carbon residue that comes from burning coconut shells, which they mix with polyseter to provide UV protection, water wycking, and anti-bacterial properties in these new highly-resilient materials. Their NBX lightweight shell jacket is made from recycled soda bottles mixed with polyester. They aren’t quite off petrolium-based products, but seem to be gettign close.
I like this thumb-secure point on the mens jacket, which prevents the sleeves from working up your arms while jogging:
