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Smokey Bear has been working to prevent wildfires since he was “born” on Aug. 9, 1944. And up until now, the furry woodland icon has spread his forest-friendly message bear-pawed.
But all that changes today, when KEEN drops its new Smokey Bear-influenced sandal. The Newport has been a KEEN icon for as long as the brand has existed.
Now, Smokey lends his lovable yet stern countenance to it.
This partnership “aims to support Smokey Bear’s mission by helping educate people on preventing human-caused wildfires,” KEEN said in a press release.
To support that, the brand will use a portion of the proceeds from the sandals to fund national wildfire prevention programs.
KEEN also actively campaigns to get people involved in fire suppression by consolidating volunteer opportunities on its website. Invasive plants can be highly flammable “ladder” fuels that allow fire on the ground to reach trees.
Through The KEEN Corps, you can find an invasives removal project near you — among other planet-friendly volunteer efforts.
The KEEN x Smokey Bear Newport comes with “pesticide-free odor control,” machine washability, and Smokey’s face on the webbing and elastic pull tab. Available in Olive Drab or a s’mores-themed palette, it comes in sizes to fit anyone from infants to adults at MSRP $60-135.
