Barneys will sell "sustainable" Keds

Keds, the sneaker brand that is part of Stride Rite Corp.'s footwear portfolio, is working to provide "exclusive" kicks at Barneys New York stores and online at www.barneys.com this month for about $75 a pop.

The selling point: These Keds are enviromentally friendly, Lexington-based Stride Rite said in a press release.

According to Stride Rite, the new Keds line is the result of a "designer collaboration" with Barneys New York and Loomstate, a design house dedicated to using organic cotton.

Describing the new Keds, Stride Rite said: "Each will be comprised of certified organic uppers and linings, nickel free eyelets and 100 percent recycled insole boards. To further reduce the product's carbon footprint, Keds will take recycled shoeboxes and re-purpose them as the shoeboxes for the Keds by Loomstate collection."

Stride Rite is now a unit of Collective Brands Inc.

The photo of red Keds that appears with this post was taken from the Keds website.
(By Sean Sposito, Globe correspondent)