It was in the late afternoon on the first day of Platform where I was getting pretty tired from walking around when I got a boost of energy from Leticia Calvo Treffot when she described her “eco sassy line”, de la Rue to me. De la Rue (means from the road) are truly beautiful shoes made from actual car tires! The tires the soles are made from are literally just cut from the tire unlike many other recycled materials which are melted down then formed into something else which can waste just as many resources as making a new product.  Now, tires don’t seem like a glamorous material to use for beautiful footwear but the way the soles look when the shoes are worn  are so unique. The subtlely shown but sharp ridges from the tire on the delicate sandal give it a great balance and a fresh look. All of the shoes are handmade in Portugal and the synthetic material the straps are made from is biodegradable! My conversation with Leticia just kept getting better and better when she discussed the price. They currently retail for around $110 but she wants to find ways to lower it so her shoes are accessible to more people. That’s so great! I love this idea and loved hearing about it from the woman behind it all who was so excited to share her idea with everyone! Check out the website here. Thank you, Leticia and good luck!!