Urban Blog

Finding a good pair of eco-friendly shoes is a little trickier than it might initially seem. Just because a shoe isn’t made from leather doesn’t mean that it is necessarily eco-friendly. It could also have an ingredient derived from wool, fur, pearls, shells or silk. Frequently, vegan shoes are also made from plastics which, of course, means that they are derived from oil. Truth be told, a “vegan shoe” may actually not be so eco-friendly. That’s why you have to do your research.

The good news is that you can find a surprising variety of eco-friendly shoes in a range of styles. Those looking to step out in a true eco-friendly fashion will find that they now have plenty of great options of they look around enough.

Neuaura

When it comes to eco-friendly footwear, Neuaura really deserves some recognition.  Like Beyond Skin, Neuaura is a vegan shoe company that doesn’t use any animal products in the creation of its shoes. At no point in the creation of their shoes do they use any leather, wool, silk, pearls, fur or shells.

If it is an animal product, then it won’t make its way into Neuaura. Neuaura considers itself to be an “Eco-Conscious Animal-Free” shoe company and they definitely deliver. Currently, Neuaura sells everything from boots and flats to heels and wedges.

Noharm

Noharm’s mission to combine great shoes with “ethical consumerism.” Their vegan footwear is
“high fashion and cruelty free.” Like Neuaura, absolutely no animal products are used in the creation of their shoes.

Additionally, Noharm, whose shoes are handmade in Italy, have taken a firm stance against worker exploitation making them people friendly as well. The diversity and styling of Noharm helps make Noharm truly stand out in an increasingly crowded eco-friendly shoe crowd. They have shoes ranging from loafers and boots to moccasins and vegan suede shoes. You can learn more about Noharm by clicking here.

Vegan Chic

Vegan Chic’s motto is “where fashion meets compassion.” Vegan Chic focuses on helping consumers lower their carbon footprints in a variety of ways. They ship in recycled and re-usable shoe bags and in the case of their pinatex shoes, use material such as fibers that come from pineapple harvesting. Many of their shoes are made in Portugal and all their shoes are vegan and environmentally friendly. Vegan Chic’s handmade, cruelty-free vegan shoes can be found here.

Keep Shoes

For those looking for a vegan shoe that is really different, check out what Keep Shoes has to offer. They take pride in creating innovative, cool and cruelty-free shoe options. All of their shoes and products use organic and sustainably-grown materials. They work with artisans in locations such as Guatemala, Japan and North America.

Also, Keep works with non-profits who monitor their work locations to ensure that all work conditions are ethical, and a Keep representative is on the line of each and every production. If you want to feel good about your shoes, then Keep is a good place to start. In addition to shoes, Keep also manufacturers clothing including t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, scarves, bags and more. Learn more about Keep by visiting their website.

Beyond Skin

Beyond Skin is a U.K. based vegan shoe company that features both men’s and women’s shoes. Part of what helps Beyond Skin stand out is the fact that they have a tremendous variety of shoes. Created in 2001, the goal of Beyond Skin was to create vegan and ethical footwear. Their shoes are made in Spain and from eco-friendly materials. They use recycled polyurethane instead of PVC which breaks down into estrogen-mimicking chemicals and causes other health problems.

Additionally, many of their shoes use 100% recycled PET plastics and feature insoles that are 70% post-consumer cardboard. In short, Beyond Skin looks for innovative and clever ways to replace the components and materials commonly used in shoe manufacturing with those that are more people and planet friendly. See all that Beyond Skin has to offer here.

Vegetarian Shoes

Vegetarian Shoes take their mission very seriously. If you are looking for eco-friendly and vegan shoes, boots and more then you’ll definitely want to check out this option.

Vegetarian Shoes has everything from hiking boots, hemp boots and shoes and casual shoes to sandals, belts, bags and more. Their products are made in England and other parts of Europe and can be shipped worldwide. Vegetarian Shoes are definitely not a newcomer to the shoe scene as the company was founded in 1990. The great looks and styling of Vegetarian Shoes is part of what helps them stand out. Shoes are frequently made in such location as Portugal, long known for their tradition of creating high-quality footwear. Click here to learn more about Vegetarian Shoes.

Eco-Friendly Shoes on Etsy

When it comes to finding something truly unique and interesting in the world of shoes and fashion, Etsy is hard to top. The simple fact is that Etsy offers an array of small shoe manufacturers that are making vegan and eco-friendly shoes. No matter what kind of footwear you are looking for the odds are excellent that Etsy has something for you.

Everything from handmade wool and felt shoes to cork shoes are all available. Cork is a durable, lightweight and eco-friendly, which helps to explain why this material is gaining in popularity. Cork is generally viewed as being sustainable as the cork tree is not cut down instead the cork is simply harvested. Now cork is not just being used in flooring but in everything from shoes to bags and more. Check out these stunning cork offerings made in Portugal by clicking here.

Vegan shoes have evolved into a tremendous option for consumers. Today’s eco-friendly footwear is diverse both in the materials used and in design. The end result are fashionable and long lasting footwear options that rival footwear made using traditional materials such as leather. Eco-friendly shoes have never been more diverse or more interesting than they are now. Consider supporting one of these companies and, in the process, you’ll lower your carbon footprint and keep walking in style.