Softstar

LATEST ARTICLES ( 290 )

• What Are the Best Shoes for Gout Flare-Ups?

  

  If you’ve ever suffered from gout—or you’ve seen a close friend or family member deal with a gout flare-up—you know it’s an incredibly painful condition. Read more

  Posted on 26 April 2017 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• Softstar Celebrates Earth Day

  

  Oregon's Multnomah Falls, a short drive from our workshop, reminds us why we like this planet so much!Happy Earth Day from Oregon! Read more

  Posted on 21 April 2017 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• Work Slippers: A Growing Trend in Workplace Comfort

  

  At most modern offices, professional clothes and dressy shoes are the norm for employee. Conventional wisdom says this stiff formal attire reflects the... Read more

  Posted on 03 April 2017 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• New Elf in the House!

  

  Thanks to everyone who contributed baby name ideas to elf Tesla earlier this year. We're happy to say she gave birth to a healthy baby girl on St. Patrick's Day... Read more

  Posted on 28 March 2017 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• Softstar Staff Gets Creative at March 2017 Playday

  

  It's time again for one of our favorite days of the year at the Softstar workshop: PLAYDAY!Once or twice a year, we set aside a day to stop making shoes for a... Read more

  Posted on 23 March 2017 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• How Minimalist Walking Shoes Improve Strength and Balance

  

  A whopping 70 percent of adults report that they walk for fitness. This is according to a fitness study conducted by Fitbit, which collected data from more... Read more

  Posted on 07 March 2017 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• Grand Opening Success!

  

  Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate the grand opening of our new workshop last weekend. The official ribbon cutting ceremony happened on Thursday... Read more

  Posted on 28 February 2017 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• Kids on Wheels: Roller Skating History of the Softstar Workshop

  

  Have we mentioned how much we LOVE LOVE LOVE our new shoemaking workshop?As much as we adored our former space, we've really come to appreciate having a ground... Read more

  Posted on 22 February 2017 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• Moving Day at the Softstar Workshop [VIDEO]

  

  We've settled into our new workshop very well over the past couple weeks. Everything is now unpacked and the shop is running like a well-oiled machine (though... Read more

  Posted on 01 February 2017 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• Scooter for the Pregnant Elf - Baby Names Needed!

  

  Many of you who call our shop with questions know Elf Tesla very well. She's been at the helm of our customer service team for many years, and is often the firs... Read more

  Posted on 26 January 2017 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• New Year, New Shop, New Look

  

  Changes are afoot at the Softstar workshop! If you follow us regularly then you know we spent most of 2016 renovating a historic building to be the new home of... Read more

  Posted on 19 January 2017 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• 2016 Remembered

  

  As December comes to a close, we find ourselves reminiscing about everything that happened this year. Between the exciting summer Olympics, a long election... Read more

  Posted on 29 December 2016 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• Resilience: A Functional Movement Expert on Staying Stronger, Longer

  

  Softstar is proud to feature this guest essay by Jennifer Gwirtz, Mind/Body Professional, Facilitator and Teacher (Pilates, GYROKINESIS®, performance and... Read more

  Posted on 28 December 2016 LIFESTYLE

• New Workshop Update: Elves Rock Out in the New Space

  

  It's the end of the year, holidays are fast approaching and our new workshop is sooooo close to completion! Electrical systems are up and running, the new... Read more

  Posted on 19 December 2016 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• Natural Learning Pt 2: Katy Bowman Shares Her Family's Outdoor School Experiences

  

  In our previous "Natural Learning" post, we explored the rise of outdoor schools, or "forest kindergartens," across America (and their origins abroad). Read more

  Posted on 21 November 2016 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• Celebrating Movement with Katy Bowman

  

  If you're not already familiar with Katy Bowman then I highly recommend looking her up—especially if you crave a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. Read more

  Posted on 09 November 2016 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• Natural Learning: Can Outdoor Schools Cultivate Stronger, Smarter Kids?

  

  "For 99 percent of the time we've been on Earth, we were hunters and gatherers, our lives dependent on knowing the fine, small details of our world. Read more

  Posted on 07 November 2016 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• What's Up with That Giant Green Corkscrew? New Workshop Update - October 2016

  

  On a chilly Oregon morning last week, moments after we opened up the shop, we received an urgent phone call. A long-awaited delivery truck had just arrived at... Read more

  Posted on 19 October 2016 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• New Study Links Minimalist Shoes with Stronger Feet and Legs

  

  New Study From PolyU Reveals Minimalist Shoes Increase Leg and Foot Muscles, Decrease Chance of InjuryThe public debate over minimalist shoes has been on a... Read more

  Posted on 13 October 2016 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE

• How to Transition to Minimal Shoes (or Barefoot Running)

  

  Switching to minimal shoes can be very liberating... if you do it safely.Although people may still debate over the benefits of minimal shoes and barefoot... Read more

  Posted on 15 September 2016 CHARITY, LIFESTYLE