Local visitors to our shop over the next few weeks will get a special treat... QUILTS! Every two years, the Mary's River Quilt Guild descends upon our local Benton County with diverse exhibits to honor the art and craft of quilt-making. Several cultural agencies, churches, storefronts and art galleries are donating their wall space to present quilts of different themes as...

While we're not quite ready for summer to be over, school season is definitely here. The local showroom at our workshop is filling up with parents searching for that elusive perfect fit of classroom shoes (enough growing room to last until spring, but not too big to trip while running). The beginning of the school year can be an exciting...

We were thrilled this week to come across a recent podcast by Freakonomics that pretty much nailed our philosophy on footwear. The episode explores the history of shoes and how they evolved into modern foot casings with heavy padding, tight toe boxes and motion control technology. It also asks how these modern features affect the ways our feet operate, and...

For many moons our community has been lit up with anticipation for this month’s historic total solar eclipse, and it’s almost here! Softstar headquarters and our surrounding community of Philomath, Oregon, are lucky enough to be right in the coveted path of totality. This means that on the morning of August 21 we will get to experience more than a...

We’ve all dealt with pesky patches of thick skin on our feet--but what causes them to form? And what are they actually made of? Calluses and corns on the feet are caused over time by repeated friction on one area of the skin. This friction and pressure causes the outer layer of skin to die in this location, and then...

Summer is finally here! And that means we have visions of gorgeous hikes, bountiful farmers markets, breezy beach days, relaxing vacations and warm strolls dancing in our heads. Whatever sunny adventures lie ahead for you this year, one thing is for certain: you’ll need some comfortable summer shoes to take you where you want to go! At Softstar, comfort has...

As you might know, we at Softstar were honored to be named one of the 10 Best Green Workplaces in Oregon by Oregon Business in 2016 (#10). This year, we are so excited to be included in the category AGAIN for 2017! With so many amazing companies in Oregon working hard to promote sustainability and green workplace practices, it is...