The classic Buck has been a staple of men’s footwear wardrobes for nearly 100 years, and hasn’t changed much since it was first introduced in the early part of the 20^th century. A favorite of Gatsby in the roaring 20’s, and Ivy League Prepsters in the 80’s, today Timberland has redesigned the timeless buck silhouette to be better than ever and we call it the Stormbuck Lite.

The Stormbuck Lite is 50% lighter than our original Stormbuck style! The new EVA outsole not only reduces the weight of the shoe by half, the siped channels help move water away from the bottom of the foot creating better traction. Combining Timberland Anti-Fatigue technology with our lightest Stormbuck ever, the Stormbuck Lite brings a versatile shoe that provides all day comfort. Why do we call it a “Storm”buck? Because our Stormbucks are water-resistant so that unexpected rainstorm won’t dampen anyone’s day.

Important in all Timberland styles, craftsmanship and attention to detail is key. The Stormbuck Lite features premium suede uppers wrapped by a leather welt with iconic white stitching, which has been a long-time symbol of fine craftsmanship for the buck style. This style also incorporates 100% organic cotton laces and 100% recycled PET footbed covers, the stuff that plastic bottles are made of. The Stormbuck Lite is a great representation of how Timberland can take a timeless classic and update it for the modern man’s needs, while creating a more environmentally conscious piece of footwear in the process.

If so, take note:  The HBDNetwork cordially invites you to compete in the 7th Annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards — the only handbag competition of its kind in the world. Submit your handbag and compete for one of nine awards in handbag excellence, international recognition and a variety of fabulous prizes.

As in past years, Timberland is proud to sponsor the Best Green Handbag — awarded to the best handbag made of sustainable, recycled or organic materials and completely recyclable at the end of its life.  As a brand that’s passionate about design and protecting the environment, we’re always excited to see the beautiful green bag submission!

Fiona Kempton's beautiful bag won our "Best Green" award last year.

Other 2013 award categories include Best Student-Made Handbag, Best Handbag in Overall Style and Design and the ever-popular Audience Fan Favorite Handbag.  To see a complete list of award categories, submission requirements and details on what each winner will receive, go to the 2013 IHDA website.  Ready to submit your design?  Enter here!

Looking for inspiration?  Plenty to be found in this video from last year’s IHDA awards in New York City:

Tick tock, designers — the deadline for IHDA submissions is April 27, 2013.

This past Spring I graduated from the University of New Hampshire and while at a post-commencement celebration, I was particularly surprised when a family friend approached me and handed me a Dr. Seuss book, “Oh the Places You’ll Go!” This was the most unique gift I received that day, and after a quick read, it turned out to be a simple yet very sincere story, a tale of chasing your dreams and moving mountains along the way.

After spending the summer working on the grounds crew at a local golf course, while wearing my faithful Timberland 6” yellow boots, I now find myself sitting at Timberland’s headquarters in Stratham, NH working as an intern in the Global Marketing Department. I couldn’t be happier with the way things have played out since graduation. Growing up in Stratham, I’ve always known that Timberland was right here in my own backyard, and I am very excited that my relationship with the brand has gone from wearing my Premium 6” boots out on the golf course, to working here at the corporate headquarters.

One of the first tasks doled out by my manager was to connect with the men’s product design team to learn how an idea and inspiration becomes a collection of shoes. So I sat down with the Designer and Product Manager responsible for the popular Front Country Travel collection, and I came away from that conversation with a newfound appreciation for the stories that help inspire our products — and I started to discover an odd connection to the strange gift that I received that day at my graduation party.

The Front Country Travel collection are shoes designed for the man who is going places and needs a versatile shoe to help get him through his day. This shoe is inspired by the traveling man who does not have time to change his shoes for every event in his busy daily schedule, and is looking for the perfect mix of style and functionality in a single multi-use shoe. The Front Country Travel collection delivers excellent comfort for long days of travel from point A to point B. From the office to the airport, to a stroll in the countryside, to dinner at a local pub, the Front Country Travel brings you a stylish, versatile shoe that can be worn for every occasion.

Because the Front Country Travel is designed to be worn in a variety of different situations, it must look good and be comfortable. The suede outer material provides a stylish look that is appropriate for the office or a night out on the town, but is also lightweight and breathable for maximum comfort. The 15% recycled rubber lug sole is built with traction control to help conquer any terrain, while the foot also rests atop a Timberland anti-fatigue footbed, designed to absorb shock and provide all day comfort for your feet.

The way I like to look at it is that the Front Country Travel is the perfect shoe to take me on the journey into my young professional career. Six months ago I received “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” as a gift, having no idea where my shoes would take me in the coming months. I was transitioning between leaving college life and trying to find the best path to take to begin my career. Now after my first month at Timberland the path is becoming clearer, and I think it’s time to get myself a pair of Front Country Travels to carry me forward to the many places I’ll go in the future.

You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.

~Dr. Seuss ‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go!’

Ironically, my feet have led me to Timberland, right here in my hometown, and I couldn’t be any happier.

Three years after committing to plant 5 million trees in five years, Timberland is proud to share progress of improved environmental, economic and social conditions in the rural region near Gonaives, Haiti.  In partnership with a local non-governmental organization, the Smallholder Farmers Alliance, we support an agroforestry program to train Haitian farmers to improve crop yields – and have planted 2.2 million trees along the way.

In 2010, Timberland teamed up with representatives from the Smallholder Farmers Alliance to create a self-sustaining agroforestry model that would deliver agricultural improvement, environmental restoration and economic growth for participating farmers through the development of eight community tree nurseries and agricultural training centers. This pilot cooperative, which is reliant on private sector, non-profit and community partnership, will plant a million more trees in 2013, 2014 and 2015, for a total of 5 million.

The Smallholder Farmers Alliance engaged a group of 2,000 small-scale farmers in the area near Gonaives and transformed the group into a for-profit agroforestry cooperative.  The farmers volunteer their time to manage the tree nurseries and plant trees in return for agricultural services, including high-yield seed, training in crop management, in-field technical support and the good quality tools needed to produce higher yields of sorghum, beans, corn and other food items. Farmers sell their crops individually, but the cooperative supports them by paying for these continued services with the sale of excess trees from the farmer-run tree nurseries.

After just three years of investment, the cooperative continues as a farmer-managed, self-financed operation. This innovation in “exit strategy aid,” which sets a time limit on external funding, tackles a key challenge faced by corporate organizations when getting involved in sustainability or disaster relief projects on the ground in developing nations.

To learn more about Timberland’s tree planting efforts visit the community section of our website.

Here at Timberland, we love our snow. Nothing is better than the white stuff. But even I have to admit that this year I couldn’t be more excited for the warming temps!

Spring is all about having fun in the sand, sun, and water. When it came time for our Spring 2013 photo shoot, we kept this spirit in mind and traveled to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.

For over a century, MV has been one of the most popular summer destinations on the east coast- and we definitely aren’t surprised. There is something for every warm weather traveler. Not only does it have some of the best beaches in the country, but it is also home to lakes, miles of trails to explore, and authentic boat builder workshops.

We found lots of interesting landscapes to act as a back drop to our colorful Spring 2013 product (where better to shoot a boat shoe then on an actual sailboat?). Plus, we actually got to meet some of the boat builders who crafted our ship the old fashioned way – how cool is that?

Be sure to check out the results of our trip!  Our MV photos are all at womens.timberland.com

In simpler terms, a “regreening project” is creating or improving outdoor spaces so more people can enjoy them.  In past years, we’ve worked on public greenways and trail systems, cleaned up community gardens, playgrounds and parks, and expanded outdoor learning spaces for camps and schools.

To learn more about the kinds of projects we’re looking for and to submit your own idea, click here to download the RFP for Timberland’s 2013 Earth Day projects.  The deadline for submissions is February 1.

In the next few years, every person will be able to interact and have a conscious choice on colour and the way that a garment is constructed and finished. In a true sense Timberland are pioneers in the new movement, the biggest of our generation: “The makers movement.”

- Matthew Miller

This season, Matthew Miller has partnered with Timberland to design the footwear for his show at LONDON COLLECTIONS: MEN. Using our Design Your Own online tool (US version here and UK version here), the breakthrough menswear designer created four unique styles which mirror the themes of his Autumn/Winter 2013 collection.

Miller picked from the hundreds of leather bases, laces, rivets and soles available on Timberland.com to adapt the classic boot to sit alongside his collection.  See the finished products and hear more about the collaboration from the designer himself:

Our supplier sustainability team shared the following update from Zhu Hai Lian Feng, a knitwear factory located in Zhuhai, Guangdong, China. Zhu Hai Lian Feng has been a Timberland partner since 2008.

Two years ago, factory management decided to create an eco-garden in the barren land surrounding the factory.  After 6 months of hard work, their vision was realized, and a beautiful, relaxing and bountiful garden was completed.

The Zhu Hai Lian Feng eco-garden is home to many fruits and vegetables, including papaw, dragon fruit, leechee, mangoes, tomatoes and lettuce.  The garden is harvested by factory employees, and the fruits and vegetables go directly to the factory’s canteen.  There’s nothing better than fresh fruits and vegetables grown on site!

Zhu Hai Lian Feng also constructed two pavilions in the eco-garden, which are frequently used by employees for parties, catching up with friends and simply relaxing.

To learn more about Timberland partners like Zhu Hai Lian Feng and how they’re working to improve their workplaces with projects like the eco-garden, please visit our Responsibility website.

Twenty years ago, Timberland created our Path of Service™ program—a monumental moment that marked the beginning of a rich tradition of service.

To celebrate the 20^th Anniversary, we put our values into action at events around the world, thanks to our team of Global Stewards—passionate employees who volunteer above and beyond their regular job responsibilities to serve as ambassadors of corporate social responsibility. Here are some highlights of their efforts around the world:

• Italy: Global Steward Francesca Vitale organized a two-day service trip for three teams of employees to Cinque Terre on Palmaria Island. Each team worked on different projects, including cleaning beaches, renovating benches along the paths, and repainting an old military fortress.

• Japan: Global Steward Shiho Hirasawa’s team spread its celebration across the year, arranging monthly service events from May through November.

• Taiwan: With the support of Global Steward Marty Shen, Taiwan launched a program that rewards consumers for engaging with Timberland in service—a concept that’s spread to other Timberland locations around the world.

• USA: Near our Stratham, New Hampshire global headquarters, community engagement manager Brianne Wood coordinated more than 350 volunteers in this year’s Serv-a-Palooza in three locations. The team helped 25 non-profit organizations by constructing outdoor furniture, creating and restoring over three miles of trails, and knitting winter hats and mittens.

Our commitment to service doesn’t end with our employees. Over the years, our service events have grown to include vendors, distributors, supplier factories and consumers and community members.  We’re also fortunate that our new parent company, VF Corporation, supports Timberland’s values-driven brand and mission to equip people to make a difference in the communities where they live and work. We look forward to continuing to partner with VF to grow our commitment to service beyond our own corporate walls.

What is so powerful about our service program is the many ripples it creates. As we send people to service sites, their direct impact ripples out to other organizations and the people they serve. Our belief is that when each employee has a service experience, it helps them become more engaged in their own community and on their own time. We hope this year’s 20^th anniversary has re-energized our army of service warriors to continue to grow Timberland’s level of service.

Whether your weekend involves snowy slopes, one last round of holiday parties or simply navigating an icy walk, we’ve got the boots to help you stay warm while making a statement.  The Earthkeepers Mount Holly Faux Fur Boot was made for winter weather, featuring premium full-grain leather, recycled rubber lug outsoles, cozy faux shearling linings and our exclusive anti-fatigue technology.

The Mount Holly Faux Fur: Warm and wonderful

If you’re not sure how this shaggy-chic pair of boots fits into your winter wardrobe, take a page from our stylist’s lookbook:

For inspiration on how to wear some of our other favorite Timberland boots, shoes and jackets, check out the entire 1 piece, 3 ways gallery on our website.