While some people argue that it’s impossible to embrace a sustainable lifestyle, leaving your ordinary lifestyle behind, it can’t be taken for granted — the fact that not only sustainable jeans come in handy, but you can also match the outfit you’re wearing with a pair of super classy, state-of-the-art sustainable sneakers that we’ve decided to round up.
A pair of jeans, shoes, T-shirts, and jackets are the outfits you cannot avoid—at least, you will be wearing any one of these items. These sustainable sneakers, apart from the fact that they help save the earth from being more polluted, can also be worn in all weather conditions, So, no matter if you’re planning on purchasing them for winter or summer, you’re good to go.
Sustainable sneakers are taking the Internet by storm—from supermodels to IG influencers, everyone is wearing them. That’s also because their design is adaptable and some sneakers just don’t ever stay behind no matter the current fashion trends.
Why Should You Choose Sustainable Sneakers?
But, why on earth should one even consider purchasing a pair of sustainably-made sneakers when there are other options? First off, the advantages of relying on sustainable shoes can’t be answered in a few words—the deeper you dig, the more realize how non-sustainable products, including shoes, are damaging our earth.
Research shows that each pair of shoes is accountable for the emission of 30 pounds of CO2—which is the same amount that, keeping a light on straight for seven days, emits. That’s not the only intention why you should go for earth-friendly footwear—brands that favor sustainability also use practices that help in saving 80-98% water through recycling.
In keeping with a report, more than 23 billion sneakers are manufactured. More than 300 million shoes are dumped in the same time period—which puts a direct impact on the recycling of the shoes—only 7% of the overall shoes get recycled.
Still, it’s good to see that young consumers are more aware of sustainable products and willing to pay for the same. Therefore, by investing in a pair of sustainable products, you’re not just getting top-notch and long-lasting material, you’re becoming a helping hand for the future generations, because if we keep on having fast fashion in our daily lives, one day, there’ll be nothing left.
Most Sustainable Sneakers for Slow Fashion
It’s about time you laid eyes on these sustainable sneakers made with re-purposed, recycled, and organic materials. Most of the brands enumerated here help reduce the carbon footprint—put differently, reducing the number of greenhouse gases.
So, sit back relaxed, and enjoy this compilation of the most sustainable sneakers brands you’ll ever stumble across. We’re also against animal cruelty. Having said that, all of the shoe brands rounded up here will be free from animal leather—the brands where no animals are harmed throughout the process.
There we go, starting with our front-runner:
1. ALLBIRDS
Allbirds—stylized as allbirds, is a footwear brand based in New Zealand. If you, despite being aware of the sustainability, didn’t hear about them, you for sure missed out on a lot. The brand was established in 2014 by Tim Brown—so, it’s been 7 years since they’ve been in the business. Currently, they’re having 350 employees who are paid the most competitive salary on time, among other benefits.
Allbirds has grown in cult status in just a period of 10 years which is very hard to accomplish. You’ll find a huge collection of running and everyday sneakers, slip-ons, high-tops, boats, flats, and weather-repellent shoes for both women and men. Categorize your search either material-wise or go with the “Best for” filter available on the left-hand side of their website. You could also filter shoes based on your favorite color.
Allbirds’ promise to Sustainable and Ethical Shoes
Material:
They make good use of wool, tree, and sugar to produce soft, comfortable, and long-lasting shoes. They wanted to utilize the most sustainable yarns on earth that could meet their standard, but they didn’t find one, and that’s when they developed their own yarns—Trino™ and TrinoXO™.
The Trino is a combination of the words ‘Tree’ and ‘Merino’. The material they use throughout the process is renewable and super comfy and doesn’t cause any allergic problems, and that’s an advantage for not only outdoor lovers.
As for the ZQ Merino, the company follows strict wool and animal standards to achieve minimalism and eco-friendliness. By doing this, they save up to 60% of energy to make synthetic shoes. We should learn the utilization of incarnation from them—to produce lace for a pair of shoes, they use one recycled plastic bottle.
Social Values & Factories:
They care for their employees who put their efforts to make this brand an amazing place to work and grow together. In 2017, the company only had 50 employees and now, they have more than 350 amazing people. To become a prominent company and help save water, energy, etc., Allbirds has partnered with Adidas in 2020.
Among other plusses, what we also about Allbirds is their transparency—they’re open about how their products are made and where they source them from. Speaking of sourcing, they source Merino from New Zealand which is later spun in Milan—the only place in Italy that’s been certified by the European Commission.
Contributions:
They’ve been running different charity campaigns to support climate movements, provide solutions to fight poverty and hunger (which they did by releasing a new dasher shoe).
Not just that, other brands have also got the inspiration from them—6 unique pieces of shoes were crafted by Nicole using Allbirds’ material, and the whole proceeds were given to Sunrise movement and Okra project.
2. ETIKO
Etiko—which has been derived from a Greek word, meaning ‘Ethical’, is a Fair Trade– and Social Trades-certified brand whose tagline is ‘Wear no evil’ which makes complete sense when you look at the accomplishment they have made since the formation. They’re the first brand in the southern hemisphere that received a Fair Trade certification.
Since its existence, they’ve been valuing the needs of fashion geeks by creating eco-friendly sneakers for both men and women, all with slow fashion in mind. The principle of Etiko is the pillar that the brand was originated upon—making tip-top products without causing any harm to people, animals, and the earth.
Sustainability Practices Embraced by Etiko
Materials:
They’re doing everything they could to stop evil practices that harm our environment drastically. This brand is going to be your favorite as soon as you bring one pair home. To main sustainability, they tap rubber from the rubber trees—100% organic and ecological. The best thing about this rubber is that it can be farmed sustainably.
The cotton used in the production of shoes is 100% GOTS certified. It’s not just about the upper and laces, they use FSC-certified rubber to produce high-quality and long-lasting shoes to offer you full satisfaction.
No Animal Cruelty:
If you’ve always cared for the animals, you’d be astounded to know that Etiko uses no animal glues in the manufacturing of shoes whatsoever—a step towards minimizing carbon emissions. With that in mind, they are producing vegan products, and all shoes are free from animal leather and other materials.
Recycling:
Their statement of recycled packaging will blow your mind. To achieve this, an FSC-certified paper or cardboard is used by the workers at the ethical factories they are running to their full potential. The only part that you will find non-biodegradable is the tip of the laces (but, it can be easily removed).
3. SAOLA
A vision of a sustainable shoe brand should be utilizing as many eco-friendly and biodegradable as possible, and Saola promises the same. Research shows that about 60% to 70% of the carbon footprint of footwear is due to the usage of harmful chemicals in manufacturing. In that area, however, SAOLA stays one step ahead by using eco-friendly fabric and innovative technologies.
Named after an endangered animal, the brand was set up by a biker named Guillaume and her newborn daughter inspired him to establish this company and to be responsible in every aspect of his life. Saola products state-of-the-art, reasonably-priced and trendy shoes that are unisex—both men and women can get their hands on them, and there’s a wide selection of choose from.
Saola’s promise to Sustainable and Ethical Shoes
Fabric:
The footwear industry is more polluted than you could imagine; every year, more than 25 billion shoes are manufacture, and it’s sad to say that none of them follows sustainability practices.
The shoes manufactured by Saola are made using synthetic leather and their Samnoz shoes are the most eco-friendly options you’ll find on their site because they’re 100% biodegradable and using 90% recycled PET, also known as recycled plastic bottles.
Speaking of the laces, upper, and insole of the shoes, they’re made from recyclable algae that are sourced from Bloom Foam, a company that has dedicated to creating clear air, water by using earth-friendly materials and partnering with innovative and sustainable shoe brands.
Social Values:
What about the social values—does Saola offer favorable working conditions to all the workers who make great shoes for the people, or is it one of those brands that fall behind in that area?
Having dug up more, it turned out that treats their employees with all the care in the world and give them competitive wages, right on time so they could give their best and you could wear those trendy, slow-fashion shoes to kickstart your day.
Contributions:
Being a confrère member of 1% for the planet, 1% of the take made by the company is contributed to a wildlife trust, a trust established by a friend of theirs. And, being named after an animal that is likely to extinct in the future, the Saola is serious about wildlife conservation and doing everything they could to make this planet better. It’s also true that Saola, alone, cannot fight it, but can help slow it down.
The Impact:
Although Saola has been making waves since they came into existence, they’ve advanced their innovative technologies and use of the most sustainable shoe fabric in the past few years for the better. Every single factory owned by them works in line with the social and environmental values in mind. In spite of getting around the fact that making eco-friendly shoes is no easy, they didn’t back up because, if it were, every brand would be doing it.
4. VEJA
The brand that has grabbed the 4th position on this list is VEJA whose shoes the outdoor lovers have been stepping into in this day and age. Veja is one of those brands that don’t spend their money on advertisements, rather they believe in straightening their ethical practices using that money.
The brand was established in 2004 by François-Ghislain Morillion and is headquartered in Paris, France. The company has received ethical and business awards in the UK. Every year, it launches a new style to give the influencers and outdoor lovers a new twist. We’ve seen many IG influencers wear ethical and sustainable shoes made by Veja.
Now, let’s go over some sustainability approaches that Veja promises to deliver to their end-users.
Veja’s promise to Ethical & Sustainable Shoes
Transparency:
Veja not only produces high-quality sneakers and other shoes like runner shoes and vegan shoes, but they also have transparency. There’s nothing that’s hidden from the consumer because it’s their right to know everything—from understanding how Veja’s shoes are made, how much wages are given to the workers, what is the percentage of cotton used in shoe production, is it organic, and other questions.
Veja has a map that you can use to locate the production factories, the place where materials are sourced from. You could easily get to know where the rubber is harvested, the place where cotton is planted, the area where it’s transformed into yarn, and they pay 250 rupees per 1-kilogram cotton produced to help improve the working conditions.
Materials:
Let’s talk about the fabric that Veja depends on to make awesome, stylish, long-lasting, and trendy shoes, shall we? Speaking of fabric, cotton is what comes to mind first. They use organic cotton throughout the production so that shoes can be made sustainably. They do this with all Fair Trade principles in mind.
The Nova has been made using 100% organic cotton that is both ethical and agro-ecological. From 2004-2019, they’ve purchased more than 390 tons of Fare-Trade organic cotton. They’re so transparent about their work that you can analyze the report of how much cotton they purchased (in kg), in what year, and from what producer.
That’s not the end, they’ve been fighting for saving humanity by using rubber from the Amazon forest. From 2014 till 2019, Veja has bought more than 450 tons of organic rubber from the Amazon forest, and you may not believe it, but they purchased that at twice the market price. That’s more up to 30% organic, sustainable rubber is used in their shoe soles.
Upcycling:
They’ve been recycling waste, such as plastic bottles, recycled polyester, and cotton to make good use of recycling. Their B-mesh fabric is completely made out of recycled plastic bottles. But, don’t worry—their sneakers are very comfy, soft, breathable, and waterproof. That means you can wear them on any occasion and under all weather conditions, be it winter or summer.
They also recycle bottles to produce another shoe called “Hexamesh” which is a mixture of 70% natural cotton and 30% reused plastic. This shoe is made in Brazil and has two threads so you could get the most out of sturdiness and longevity.
5. TOMS
TOMS is a brand that believes in working hard while keeping sustainability in mind. They have a one-for-one charity model that has been appreciated by outdoor lovers and other businesses. To date, above 86 million pairs of sneakers have been given away by the company to help the poor survive and put an end to poverty and hunger.
What sets them apart from others is the huge selection of shoes for men, women, kids, and guess what—you could even categorize your need based on availability. Choose from a wide range of sneakers, slip-ons, slippers, waterproof boots, or dress shoes, the choice is all yours.
If you’re shopping for kids, you can shop using ‘Youth’ shoes (for 5 to 12 yrs. olds) or ‘Tiny’ shoes (for 1 to 5 yrs. olds) categories.
TOMS’ promise to Ethical & Sustainable Shoes
Materials:
To produce good-looking, sturdy, long-lasting shoes, TOMS utilizes REPREVE®, recycled polyester, and helps reduce the carbon footprint to a great extent. As for the plant dyes, they make good use of colors that are taken from natural botanicals. As far as cotton is considered, it’s organic and no chemicals are used throughout its production process, neither do they use any. To make sneakers breathable, airier, and softer, they make the most out of TENCEL™ lyocell, which helps in wicking moisture. That’s why consumers prefer lyocell to cotton in their footwear.
To make sure that less water is used in manufacturing, the company relies on eco-friendly fibers, as well, such as linen, hemp, and jute. It’s no wonder that if you wish to tread perfectly, you’ll need a shoe with a lighter sole and TOMS’ OrthoLite™ insoles offer you peace of mind—they’re made more eco-friendliest material and bring breathability and comfort to life.
Certifications:
The company is B-Corp, LWG, and Fair Labor certified which simply means that they’re dedicated to providing people products of the highest standards while minimizing the environmental impact on our mother earth. Being a sneaker brand, they also have to use leather which they source from silver- and gold-rated manufacturers. To ensure that each employee is treated with care and provided wages, among other benefits, right on time, they follow FLA guidelines.
Work & Ethics:
While it’s extremely vital for TOMS to reduce as much greenhouse effect as possible, they don’t stop there. They follow all the guidelines of work ethics and in line with CSR requirements. There are currently 10 factories run by them in China, Vietnam, and India where they produce top-notch footwear and eyewear for awesome people. To know more, please take a glimpse at the list of factories.
They’ve clearly defined the minimal age to work in the code of conduct we’ve shared with you above, which depicts that a person, to work at TOMS, must be at least 15 years old. What’s more, the wages and other benefits are provided to the workers on time. It is the employees’ right to compensation to have their basic needs met. As for the hours of work, the workweek must not go beyond 48 hours.
At TOMS, $1 of every $3 they make is given away to people in need.
6. SOLE REBELS
Sole Rebels—stylized as soleRebels—is another that has been making progressive innovations since its existence. It was founded by Alemu in the year 2005. SR is famous for their most ethical and sustainable footwear and they’re also mentioned in Forbes, Fast Company, CNN, and Bloomberg for their creativity and innovation. Suit your tops and denim (jeans), they’ve got a huge selection of flats, sneakers, boots, sandals, slip-ons, lace-ups, and more, available for both men and women.
To take your slow fashion even further, you could browse a list of vegan sneakers towards living a sustainable life and become a helping hand to save our mother earth.
SR’s philosophy to Ethical & Sustainable Practices
Sustainability:
It’s no wonder that pollution, chemicals, carbon footprint, etc., are destroying our earth, and to make it a better place for all of us, soleRebels—like other brands reviewed above—is taking advantage of recycled materials so it leaves no environmental impact. An article published by Forbes says that it was the fastest-growing shoe brand of 2014, and to achieve that, the company sold shoes through its website and outlets situated in Asia, Europe, and North America.
Coverage:
Speaking of the pricing model, most sustainably made sneakers on their website are priced between $100 and $125, which should be affordable for you. They’re having hand-made shoes to support earth-friendliness and help workers make a living, hence ethical practices. You can get your hands on a perfect fit pair of sneakers—according to what fits you best. Plus, sorting your shopping based on pricing, bestselling, A-Z, newest to oldest, or vice-versa, etc., has never been this easy.
Materials:
There’s a reason why their shoes are worn by the top IG influencers and other entrepreneurs. Throughout the manufacturing, they make sure the practices embraced by them don’t affect nature at all—and, to achieve that, they make good use of non-traditional materials, namely hemp, jute, organic cotton, recycled bottles, and tires.
To make shoes sturdy, there’s a perfect balance of warp and weft that you can find (if you take a closer look). To achieve durability, sturdiness, plant-based fibers are used and they are hand-loomed. If we have to name a couple of fibers that play a part in that area, the credit would go to Abyssinian jute and Koba.
To wear a pair of good-looking shoes, especially the long-lasting ones, you’ve got to make sure that they’re leather shoes. To make leather sneakers, they rely on the most sustainable leather with an intention to reduce the carbon footprint.
If you read SR’s history, you’d come to know that they’re proud to have talented people in Ethiopia—a place where organic cotton is cultivated, fabrics are made, and a sector that plays a major role in putting an end to poverty.
7. AKS
AKA—a subsidiary of Purple Impression—is an award-winning sneaker brand that was founded by Drakshan. Their mission is to help people in need through fair trade. The company came into existence in 2019, although its parent brand Purple Impression has seen making progress for the last 7 years, with a mission to build communities through fair trade.
AKA’s sneakers are lightweight, use organic cotton, boast arc support, and are hand embroidered. So, apart from being sustainably made sneakers, they are ethical shoes, as well. You’d be amazed to know that they got talented women artisans to make these earth-friendly, ethical, and affordable sneakers for you.
They’ve got a collection of the most sustainable, ethical shoes—vegan sneakers, including high top and low cut canvas sneakers that are Fair Trade-certified, Vegan, and FSC approved. Not only are the shoes eco-friendly but also there’s more to them than just meets the eye. In fact, they play a huge role in promoting safe health.
AKS’s Ethical & Sustainable Practices
Sustainability:
Their shoes couldn’t get more sustainable—the sneakers are designed to provide you with more breathability, all-day comfort, that’s because you don’t have to strain your toe or ankle while wearing the sneakers. That way, you’re highly like to wear them for longer.
Just like you, they’re also against animal cruelty, that’s why no animals are harmed in the end-to-end process of manufacturing—all they use is plant-based material, hence Peta approved. In fact, we strongly believe that you’re going to fall head over heels in love with their vegan shoes.
Materials:
To make those beautifully awesome, one-of-a-kind, and extremely reasonably priced canvas sneakers, the company uses 100% organic cotton to support the eco-friendliest environment. That’s why they never use any insecticides as they put a threat to both humanity and wildlife (here’s how). Their bio-degradable and recyclable sneakers are designed in San Francisco and ethically handmade in Pakistan.
Natural rubber is used in the making of shoes’ soles and that makes them environmental-friendly. The materials they use are Fair Trade certified. If you’re after eco-friendly sneakers with breathability and comfort in mind, look no further—these are the ones that you need to get your hands on. They’ve hired in-house designers that handle the real work—bring the ideas to life with their creativity.
Ethics:
An ethical factory where their sneakers are handcrafted is the first factory in the country (Pakistan) to have signed a ‘no child labor’ policy. In so far the transparency is taken into account, they feel proud of showing the faces of people who make AKS a better place to work and produce quality and sustainable shoes for women and men. Their practices are in line with the UN’s 4 principles.
To support workers’ healthcare and education, 10% of the product cost goes directly into the funds. To read more about how they’re helping save our planet by reducing the amount of carbon footprint, please head over to the about page where they talk about the eco-friendliness, fairness, transparency, and other aims.
The reason why AKS chose Pakistani artisans is that it’s one of the top 4 countries that lack gender equality.
8. NATIVE SHOES
Native Shoes is another ecological footwear brand that was established in 2009 by Scott Hawthorn and Damien van zyll de. The NS has been using a down-to-earth approach to produce attractive, long-lived, and most significantly, sustainable sneakers. All of their shoes are plant-based. Put differently, the fibers they use in the sneakers come with benefits and don’t put an environmental impact.
NS’ beliefs about Ethical and Sustainable Shoes
Sustainability:
The Native Shoes is on a mission to help people live a lighter, happier, and healthier life, hence Live Lightly™. That’s why they’ve launched a remix project that’s geared forward making their sneakers 100% life cycle managed. So, every time you wear a pair of shoes brought to life by them, you’re making an impact. They believe that it’s everybody’s responsibility to keep this planet as greener as possible by making small changes to the shoe wardrobe, and they’re with us in this.
Materials:
We already know that our mother Earth is suffering from gas emissions, if we don’t something now, there will be nothing left in the future and our future generations won’t be able to live a happy life. With that in mind, NS uses purely plant-based materials and there’s no animal glue used in the end-to-end process whatsoever.
With sustainability at the forefront, the materials they depend on to make a good pair of eye-catchy and stylish sneakers include pineapple (used to create sneaker’s uppers), linen (to achieve earth-defying strengths), kenaf (for exceptional durability against tear and wear), lactae hevea (used to make outsoles), cotton (to achieve softness), and other organic fabrics.
Transparency:
They are as transparent about their work, materials they use, and ethical practices. So, you can easily get to know each key ingredient used in manufacturing. Their mission is to create end-to-life solutions, and by 2023, their goal is to reach 100% when it comes to making life cycle-managed sneakers.
Thinking of ways to recycle a pair of old shoes? The following page explains clearly how you could easily do that for free online and in case you’re living near a store. If you have no idea of the whereabouts of their stores, use the drop-off location at their website.
9. NOTHING NEW
The sneaker brand that has acquired 9th position on this list is Nothing New, a company with in-house talented designers, dreamers who live their passion towards making our planet as sustainable as imaginable. Their materials are thoughtfully selected with an aim to decrease the gas emissions that are causing our earth to fall apart.
You’re guaranteed to have the utmost luxury, longevity, and eco-friendly vibes while wearing a pair of shoes brought to life by NN. It wasn’t easy for NN to be where they are today—at a progressive position. Not only did they want their products to look good but do good for nature. That’s why their shoes are far better than the legacy sneakers you’ll come across on the market in this day and age.
NN’s attitude towards Ethical & Eco-friendly Shoes
Sustainability:
Carbon footprint, undoubtedly, is a red flag as far as living healthier is considered. That’s why carbon neutrality is very much needed or else one day we won’t be able to breathe pure air. It’s sad to say this but, the carbon footprint is bigger than the footprint left by your shoe, which is produced directly or indirectly through the actions we perform.
So, how is ‘Nothing New’ a winner in this scenario?
Well, their shoes are made from 100% recycled materials that include fishing nets, recycled rubber, and recycled cork. Their Better Canvas are Global Recycle Standard certified. Overall, it’s not only about looking good, you should also feel good—only possible if you embrace nature in every possible way, and investing in a pair of sustainable shoes made by Nothing New will be a great start.
Materials:
When it comes to making the most out of thoughtfully selected materials to take a decisive step towards helping people live an eco-friendly life, Nothing New has nailed it.
Their shoes are favor sustainability to a greater extent. In fact, if you take a closer look at the fabrics or materials used, you’ll have yourself goggle-eye, that’s guaranteed.
The labels of shoes are made from 100% recycled plastic dumped by the people, and no animal glue has been used whatsoever. Speaking of the uppers, they are also a result of recycled plastic and in line with the GRS standard.
The conflict-free eyelets are purely made from corrosion-resistant copper and zinc. To offer you peace of mind, they even reutilize fishing nets that get disposed of in the ocean after being used. That way, not only are their shoes help you dispense with the heel pain but also keep the water safe and clean.
While insoles and outsoles play a major difference in being comfy and achieve strength, you cannot miss out on a true stitch construction which brings ultimate flexibility and comfort to the table for you, courtesy of Nothing New.
Global Principles:
To maintain a positive good impact with an aim to produce up-to-the-mark sneakers while keeping sustainability in mind, Nothing New has been doing all the good work right in line with the principles of the UN. Same principles—with ILO guidelines considered—are taken into account at the taking of sourcing plastic, for upcycling from Thailand, Haiti, and Vietnam. Having received the plastic, it’s put into other processes like threading, dyeing, and knitted in ethical factories of NN based in China.
They’re also running a program called ‘Virtues Circle’ where you can easily get a credit of $20 on shipping your old NN sneakers. If you wish, you could also drop them off at their location, at the store. All it takes is three simple steps: return, restart, and reward. After your sneakers have reached them, their condition will be analyzed, they’ll either be given to the people in need or become disassembled so that they can be used again.
If you’re really serious about living a sustainable life, we believe that you would have learned by now how plastic waste, gas emission, and other chemicals are destroying our mother earth.
But, it’s not too late to try their Nothing New’s sustainable sneakers until it is too late.
10. WOMSH
Womsh—an acronym for ‘Word of Mouth Shoes’—is one of the creative and innovative sustainable sneakers brand out there. They started in 2014 and never looked back—their sustainable sneakers are helping environmentally-conscious people live a better life—all while making a positive impact. It’s just the sustainable or slow fashion they’re widely known for, their sneakers are extremely comfortable, and they respect the people who work at their factories.
WOMSH’s Beliefs about Ethics and Sustainability
Sustainability:
The practices embraced by WOMSH are making a big positive impact by making this planet a better place for us and our future generations, and are getting more and more ethical every day. They’re committed to creating a pollution-free world. We get—it’s hard to do on one’s own, however, if we do it all together, we could be successful.
In the span of 5 years, they’ve preserved more than 23.000 m2 of forests, all for the betterment of the forest because our trees are already dying. Since 2016, they’ve recycled more than 2,500 pairs of shoes which is a lot more. You wouldn’t believe but since 2014, they’ve offset above 106k kg of C02. Since to make those good-looking, ethical, and sustainable sneakers, they need energy, too, we’re glad to let you know that up to 90% of the energy used comes from renewable sources.
Ethical Practices:
WOMSH shoes are made with respect for the people in mind. What we liked about this brand is that they’ve got a huge selection of sneakers that are eco-friendly. But only producing a pair of earth-friendly shoes is not everything, you also need to take good care of the employees who make the company a better place. So, we did a little digging and it turned out that they provide proper wages to the workers on time to support their talent.
Factories:
Speaking of the plant, Italy is the place where ethics meet aesthetics. If we had to name out a few values that the company lives on, we’d end up with artistry, interactions, legitimacy, talent, and know-how, and understanding. All of the workers are paid by the company in accordance with European standards. There’s no danger in the work area which is why it’s safe and healthy and makes them a good place to work at.
Materials:
In addition to having sneakers crafted for different sizes like 35-42 (for women) and 40-46 (for men), Womsh chooses their materials punctiliously and uses Bianca which is a metal-free tanned leather. Every single pair of shoes you’ll see on their website or at the store has been designed without non-toxic raw materials. The same goes with the suede leather—naturally controlled leather. Who would have thought that they would even utilize the apple skin? Yes, you read that right. They are also using 50% apple skin and 50% PU to make a new material.
How We Determined Sustainable Sneakers Brands
Producing a good pair of sustainable sneakers for the environmentally-conscious is no easy task, you have to put your extra efforts into the process—from cultivating the right crops, using natural biodegradable materials, eliminating plastics (or using recycled plastic), manufacturing shoes in an ethical factory, to creating a positive impact by embracing ethical practices, there’s a lot that requires research and dedication.
While it may sound impossible to keep our earth pollution-free, and yet here we (top sustainable sneakers brands) are making a huge positive difference. So, how did we end up with this list of best sustainable sneakers brands? We paid close attention to all the criteria that play a major part while reviewing the brands we’ve listed on the list above, and here’s how we did that:
- Materials: Carbon is everywhere and we all produce it (directly or indirectly, but we do). When you shout out loud, take a subway, or turn the lights on, carbon is produced. However, that amount can’t be compared to one that occurs in the end-to-end process of making sneakers that mostly come from the materials. However, by using sustainable or eco-friendly materials, this can be turned down. So, we go through those brands that make good use of earth-friendly materials.
- Sustainability: If we keep living a fast life, one day, we will run out of all the natural sources. That’s why while doing the evaluation, we dig deeply if or not the brand is using materials to maintain the climate. We made sure that the brands are Fair Trade, GOTS, FSC, Fair Labor, B-Corp certified brands and they follow all the guidelines required to maintain a perfect balance on our planet earth. That’s why we’ve also mentioned those brands that make sustainable vegan shoes.
- Ethics: While the materials are the key to making eye-catchy, comfortable, and long-lasting shoes, you can’t take ethical practices People matter more than products and that’s why it’s to be made sure that they receive the respect they deserve, get the wages they’ve worked so hard for, among other benefits. We compared each brand head to head and decided to cover only those that treat their employees the way they’re meant to—with respect, love, and tranquility. All of the above-mentioned sustainable sneakers brands manufacture sneakers at their ethical factories.
There’re other aspects that play a big role like charities and giveaways offered to the people in need. While for startups, it’s hard to gain footing, that’s why it may not be possible for every brand to offer charities, but they do give away to the poor to support education.
Wrapping Up!
Just like a pair of denim, sneakers are something you can’t miss out on while going out. Whether you’re opting for sneakers for your regular use, work, sports, or running, it’s no wonder that you’re going to use them every day when going to the office, college, or while tripping. Footwear is an industry that is bigger than other ones, and there’s no sign of slowing down. That’s why the only option we’re left with is depending on eco-friendly shoe brands so that we could help reduce and carbon footprint and live a happy and healthier life together.
