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Vegan footwear doesn't have to mean tacky materials, shoddy construction, and sweatshop-like working conditions. Here are 14 cruelty-free shoe companies that are as gentle on critters as they are the planet. Above, faux-suede oxfords from Good Guys, a new animal-free label from France that crafts its goods fairly in Portugal.
#12, Vegetarian Shoes – the Microfibre materials they use as a substitute for leather are all made from plastic fibers..which come from crude oil (I don’t see any indication that they’re made from recycled bottles either). So, I’m not sure how well they fit into a list of eco-friendly products.. I do love their styles though & the relatively cruelty-free aspect.
Hm well seems the uppers are biodegradable so that’s a big plus..but still not sure about relying on oil for any materials!
@fyodorena There is an argument that quality, long-lasting synthetics are the lesser evil, not only because conventional leather is tanned with toxic heavy metals but also because livestock farming is one of the leading causes of global warming. We’re still a ways from a perfect solution, to be sure, but we’re making strides (pun intended) with environmentally preferable alternatives.
That’s true, tanning is awful..but synthetic fibers made from raw, not recycled, plastic requires such carbon intensity and pollution from oil extraction to refining to international transport and uncertain disposal. Those impacts along with the finiteness of the resource and the support of a very politically tyrannical and socially irresponsible industry make it hard for me to see these shoes as anywhere near eco-friendly. Apologies, I’ve just been doing life cycle analyses on running shoes and it just blows my mind that my shoes are entirely made of oil.
Well, I guess I’ll wait til we have bioplastic fibers to buy new boots, haha.
A relevant comment from sal over at “14 Eco-Friendly Women’s Boots to Kick Fall Into Gear”, sic:
Anything that is made out of plastic, as opposed to animal leather, is not eco-friendly. Plastic is one of the most terrible materials currently existing on our planet. It uses petroleum products throughout its manufacturing process, both for the materials and the energy to produce them, and does not biodegrade when thrown “away.” I think we should start taking this into consideration when talking about enivronmentally-friendly materials. Nearly all “man-made” synthetic materials are petroleum-based. Not eoc-friendly at all, in my opinion.
Well obviously you are missing a point here, the weakest point of eco-carnivorous-friendly people is… tada!!!!!!
It’s a good idea to read through the entire article before making conclusions based on what you think you know, rather than what the article actually says. The article says the microfiber in the shoes from Beyond Skin are made from “100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.” In addition, many polyurethane faux leathers (not PVC) now meet strict, certifiable green standards such as the Oeko-Tex Standard 100. You can tan leather with all the vegetables you want, but it is still the skin of a dead animal and livestock farming has been proven to be a major factor in global warming.
Yeah, I totally dig the recycled PET microfibers, but the only company that I was really interested in from this list, Vegetarian Shoes, didn’t indicate that their materials were recycled, so I’m reluctant to include anything possibly made from raw oil on an “eco-friendly” list, even in comparison to tanned leather. I’ll look into the polyurethane leather, thanks!
Unfortunately, many of us cannot wear high heels or even flats because of foot problems. It’s hard to find vegan “comfort shoes” that are stylish, and we don’t want to live in sandals and sneakers with expensive inserts. I have discovered that Dansko makes a line of Vegan Pro clogs (with backs, and non-slip)– some in beautiful fabrics– and another line called Volley of lighter clogs with canvas or coated canvas uppers (also rain boots). Sanita, which used to make clogs for Dansko, now has their own brand and makes some vegan ones. Arcopedico also makes some vegan shoes, including some nice-looking boots and flats. Both of these brands have supportive footbeds, rocker toes and/or flexible uppers. I’m sure there are more out there.
another great vegan shoe company run by my cousin:
http://charmoneshoes.com/
I feel you on the people with some foot problems cannot wear most of the womens shoes out there an here on this vegan site either. It sucks I am not a granny an do want nice shoes. But because I have injured my feet so many times I now have gasp arthritis in my right foot which makes all my shoes fit wrong on that foot; An hurt it.An big heels are out of the question.