THE bean sprout brigade has started stepping out as well-heeled as the flesh-eating next person. Improved ranges of 'vegetarian shoes' have saved their soles from a life of sweaty plastic, recycled rubber and unlined canvas.
But perhaps most importantly for the image conscious who don't want fashion anything has to die for, more attention is being paid to giving the latest in man-made materials an up-to-date edge. So staunch vegetarians and vegans get to keep the fruits-and-roots feeling, they don't have blood on their feet, and they gain some Dr Martens street cred.
The fabric that's increasingly causing the lentils to boil over is hi-tech polyurethane. It feels just like leather, it won't scuff and it is waterproof. It also wipes clean, and is stronger than leather. But the wonder quality which marks it from its predecessors is that it lets feet breathe, which means an end to all kinds of nasties that thrive in the damp confines of synthetic shoes.
The man behind the shoe is Briton Robin Webb, who runs his international mail order operation from a shop in Brighton. Best sellers on his catalogue are shoes and boots Dr Martens makes especially for him with their soles and his polyurethane. The shoes come in black and brown, and the boots in black, green, purple and red. The boots cost about HK$600. Webb also carries a range of politically correct jackets and belts.
Webb came across the polyurethane, which is more commonly used in yachting upholstery, after trying out car tyres, cork, and various kinds of recycled rubber. It is a classic story: 'I couldn't find any so I made my own.' Even if Webb counts Paul and Linda McCartney among his most high-profile clients, he doesn't expect non-vegetarian leather wearers to come flocking.' A lot of people are still brainwashed into the idea that leather equals quality,' he says.
Non-leather shoes available in Hong Kong are a hit-and-miss affair. Retailers haven't bought into the new age vegetarian shoe concept yet, so ardent fans have to do their shopping by mail order from the United States or Britain. Friends of the Earth suggests sports or canvas shoes, which are available at regular shoe shops.