Hi-Tec's eco golf shoes -- hole in one or bogey?

Hi-Tec, the fashion faux pas of eighties playgrounds, has unveiled what it's describing as a golf shoe made from 99 per cent "environmentally sustainable materials."

Golfers aren't exactly famed for their eco creds -- golf courses are usually a monster water suck and the antithesis of biodiversity -- so we were chuffed to see Hi-Tec's Enviro shoes for men. But exactly how green are they?

Well, the leather's chrome-free in the tanning process, which is a nice touch, and more typical of eco shoe brands like Terra Plana than your average trainer outfit. It's also good news for cutting water pollution and protecting aquatic life. True blue vegans, however, won't be rushing to buy a pair.

Then there's the outsole -- the outside bottom bit -- which is made from discarded rice husks and latex rubber. The husks are green because they're a waste material, but a more eco choice for the rest would've been recycled rubber rather than virgin material.

The bit that stops golfers from losing their balance, the spike, is the only aspect Hi-Tec describes as "not green".

Although there's zilcho info on Hi-Tec's site about worker rights and conditions (in stark contrast to the sort of detail on Nike's) Hi-Tech has sent us a copy of its "Code of Ethics". The document says that no Hi-Tec factories will use child labour, none of them will flout minimum wage laws and no employees will work more than 60 hours per week. Unfortunately, it doesn't make the right to freedom of association and unionise a prerequisite for its suppliers.

In the meantime, you can pick up a pair for £60 (typical price is £70) in bloke sizes 6-12 in a choice of black or brown. Ostentatious golfers may prefer to wait for this summer's imminent white version.

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