8 Vegan Sneaker Collections You May Never Have Heard Of, But Will Love
Nothing beats a good vegan running shoe or casual sneaker when it comes to running errands! But, did you know not all sneakers are vegan?
Since vegans are focused on avoiding animal-derived products entirely (both in their diet and lifestyle), the fashion industry is also a huge concern. A traditional sneaker may be made out of animal skin, fur, or other animal-derived materials which can qualify them as ‘non-vegan' footwear.
However, there are plenty of brands developing vegan footwear alternatives that are kinder to both our sentient friends and to the environment. While plastic or ‘pleather' (plastic-based synthetic leathers) sneakers are free from animal products and available almost anywhere you go, their tricky plastic waste management and high carbon emissions make them a less-than-ideal choice. So, if your concerns include both the animals and our warming planet, keep reading to discover our complete list of eco-conscious, vegan sneaker brands!
Should We All Ditch Leather Shoes for the Planet?
Did you know that just one cow will produce 220 pounds of methane each year? This has resulted in them becoming the number one agricultural source of GHGs worldwide. In addition, cattle farming is the leading cause of deforestation in tropical forests.
To make matters worse, around 75% of all footwear in the US contains leather or other animal-based materials.
So, while it may be impossible, unnecessary, and wasteful to throw out all the leather shoes you own, you may consider going for a leather-free option when you need a new pair of sneakers, if possible!
Veja Vegan Collection
Price Range | $-$$
Waterproof Options | NO
Ethos | Recycled and Bio-Based Materials, Social Projects.
Materials | Recycled Polyester, TPU, Amazonian Rubber, Sugar Cane, Rice Waste, Natural Latex, Cotton Worked as Leather (C.W.L.), Organic Cotton Canvas, Recycled E.V.A., Recycled Rubber.
Focused on social/economic justice, sustainability, and ethics, this Certified B Corp uses both recycled and bio-based materials for their kicks! Although they're not an all-vegan brand, they do offer an extensive range of vegan sneaker options which you can find on a dedicated page on their site.
You'll especially want to check out their collab with Amelie Pichard! These laceless, outdoor-inspired sneakers (pictured above) feature a monogrammed pattern on their stretchy V-Knit upper, and are incredibly light and comfortable. Plus, they're made of sustainable materials like recycled polyester, natural rubber, sugar cane, and rice waste! Find more of their fabulous silhouettes below.
Veja REC Alveomesh
Using recycled, bio-based, natural, and waste materials, Veja presents their phenomenal REC Alveomesh sneaks! Breathable, flexible, and light, this model boasts a retro style that's as comfortable as it is stylish. Go for your favorite today!
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Veja Condor 2 Alveomesh
Part of their running line, the Condor 2 Alveomesh shares the same breathable, flexible, recycled polyester knit technology as the Dekkan. Other materials used for this model include ricinus oil, sugar cane, rice waste, natural latex, and Amazonian rubber! In total, it's composed of 57% bio-based and recycled materials. Use these durable sneakers for daily runs and recovery sessions!
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Veja Urca CWL
An ultra-durable pair with an upper made of Cotton Worked as Leather (C.W.L.), this footwear could become your go-to sustainable choice! The classic design works with jeans, dress pants, skirts, dresses, shorts, and more. Plus, it's available in twelve colors to suit your unique individual style! Find your perfect match now!
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Saola Shoes
Price Range | $-$$
Waterproof Options | YES
Ethos | Vegan, Recycled and GOTS Certified Materials, 1% For The Planet Members, Mwalua Wildlife Trust Supporters.
Materials | Recycled PET Bottles, Organic Cotton, Sustainable/Bio-Based Materials (BLOOM Recycled Algae Foam, Natural Cork.
This brand's eco-friendly vegan sneakers are made with 100% vegan recycled and/or bio-based vegan materials. No animal-derived materials in sight! Some examples are their ‘Bloom' harvested algae foam, organic cotton, natural cork, and recycled EVA.
Because of the ultra-sustainable raw materials used in their production, each pair actually benefits our planet! For example, their ‘Cannon' style vegan shoe helps return 11 gallons of clean water to habitat, and clean 27 m3 of air!
Soala's shoes are GOTS and Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified.
Saola Tsavo
Saola's Tsavos are made with all recycled and bio-based materials! For example, they feature BLOOM technology, which uses harvested algae to create a comfortable, sustainable EVA foam. This unique material actually helps to clean our water and air! This pair returns 2.6 gallons of clean water to habitat, and cleans 8m3 of air.
The insole features natural cork, along with the algae foam. Meanwhile, the laces are made of GOTS Certified organic cotton. We can't deny the positive impact of these planet-friendly shoes! Find them in black, light grey, or white to match your personal style.
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Saola Wanaka W Waterproof
Made with natural cork, a waterproof membrane made from recycled plastic bottles (NatureTex), harvested algae foam, EVA, and organic cotton laces, Saola's Wanaka W mid-top sneakers have to be one of the most reliable everyday pairs out there! Get them in dark grey or caramel to suit your personal style and wardrobe.
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Saola Cannon W Waterproof
Saola's ultra-light Cannon Ws are also made of recycled plastic bottles, natural cork, harvested algae foam (BloomFoam tech), and EVA. Thanks to these carefully selected materials, each pair returns 11 gallons of clean water to natural habitats, and cleans 27 m3 of air. That's definitely what we'd call a win-win!
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CARIUMA Vegan Collection
Price Range | $-$$
Waterproof Options | YES
Ethos | Vegan Collection (65% Of All Products), Responsibly Sourced Materials, Fair Working Hours and Wages, 100% Traceability into Manufacturers, 85% Traceability into Suppliers and Components, GOTS Certified Materials, Global Recycled Standard, FSC Certified Packaging, Oeko-Tex Certified Textiles, Leather Working Group.
Materials | Organic Cotton, Natural Rubber, Bamboo, Sugarcane, Cork, Mamona Oil, Recycled Nylon, Recycled PET, Recycled & Recyclable Paper, Bluesign-Certified Dyes.
Cariuma IBI Slip-Ons
Available in nine colors, Cariuma's famous IBI Slip-Ons have been featured on our site before, as the world's lowest carbon footprint shoes at the time. In fact, they still produce three times fewer emissions than the industry average per pair! They're incredibly lightweight, made with sustainably harvested bamboo, recycled plastics, sugarcane-based EVA, and their removable memory foam insole made of cork and mamona oil. Choose your favorite style today!
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Cariuma Caturi
Their top waterproof model, the Caturi, is designed for performance and warmth! With a sturdy, supportive silhouette, these sneaks are ultra-cozy, plush, and ideal for wintertime. Each pair is crafted with 100% vegan suede, slip-resistant natural rubber, a bio-foam insert, a stitched midsole, and additional GRS-Certified recycled materials. Go for this versatile model now!
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Cariuma Vallely Pro
Cariuma's Vallely Pros are the ideal vegan pro skate shoe! They're made with high-performance vegan suede, heavy-duty recycled fabric, recycled mesh lining, natural rubber, cork and bio-based foam, organic cotton, recycled plastics, and a fully stitched outsole. Go for these ultra-durable, sustainably made, and supportive skate shoes in any of their ten styles!
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Rothy's Sneakers
Price Range | $$
Waterproof Options | NO
Ethos | Sustainability Council, Recycling Program, Recycled Materials, Low Waste Production.
Materials | Knit From Recycled Plastic Bottles, 17-22 Plastic Bottles Used Per Shoe, LEED Gold Certified Factory Workshop, LEED Platinum Factory Offices, Recycling Program.
Rothy's offers three sneaker models made out of recycled plastic water bottles and eco-friendly materials, perfect for any casual outing. You'll be happy to learn that both are ultra-comfortable and require zero break-in period. In fact, each one features a contoured footbed that will hug the shape of your foot for a better fit, and extra support!
Best of all, once you've gotten the most out of these high-quality sneakers as is possible, you'll be able to take them to any of their retail stores, so they can repurpose the materials through their Rothy's Recycling program. You'll even receive a discount code in return, so you can replace your old pair!
Check out Rothy's Slip On, Lace Up, or RS02 models below for stylish recycled and recyclable kicks you can take on all your adventures!
Rothy’s The Slip On Sneaker
The perfect versatile shoe to pair with jeans, dresses, skirts, shorts, and more, Rothy's Original Slip Ons come in thirteen adorable styles! You could go for a nude, muted pattern for an elegant and professional look, or a bright, funky statement pattern to turn heads! Either way, you can rest assured that they were made sustainably, using seventeen ocean-bound plastic bottles and natural rubber.
They're also machine-washable! Simply remove the insoles and midsoles, and set the midsoles aside. Then, toss the shoes and insoles into the machine and wash with cold water on a gentle setting. Let them air dry, and they should be good as new!
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Rothy’s The Lace Up Sneaker
Available in five patterns to suit your personal style, Rothy's iconic Lace Up Sneaker features a soft upper knit from a total of 18 plastic bottles! It also includes adjustable laces, a contoured footbed for extra comfort and support, and an ankle cushion padded with excess material to reduce their waste! They truly think of everything, don't they?
To wash these sneakers in a machine, you'll need to slip out the footbed and tie the laces, then wash on a delicate cycle with cold water. Finally, leave them out to dry, and they're ready to go!
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Rothy’s The RS02 Sneaker
Similar to their Lace Ups, Rothy's RS02 Sneakers were designed to be super soft, flexible, and supportive. The laces are also adjustable so you can achieve the perfect fit. Plus, the padded ankle collar is cushioned with their leftover yarn to minimize waste from production! However, this pair is knit with 22 plastic bottles, ridding our oceans from extra ocean-bound plastic.
Make sure to machine wash these sneakers with cold water and a gentle cycle. You'll also want to remove the footbed from the sneaker before tossing them both into the machine. Finally, let them air dry and you're done. So convenient!
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Saye Bio-Based Sneakers
Price Range | $$-$$$
Waterproof Options | NO
Ethos | PETA-Approved Vegan, FSC Certified Packaging, Environmental Stats Displayed on Page, Two Trees Planted per Pair Purchased, Bio-Based Materials, Recycled Materials.
Materials | Apple Leather, Cactus Leather, Mango Leather, Bamboo, Recycled Polyester, Certified Organic Cotton, Bio-Veg PU, Corn Leather, Recycled PU, Synthetic & Natural Rubber, Repurposed Wood Chips from The Carpentery Industry.
You have to check out Saye's 'The Green Capsule' collection. It's made up entirely of bio-based sneakers containing innovative, sustainable materials like apple leather, cactus leather, and even mango leather! Learn more about their fabulous designs, materials, and environmental stats below.
Saye Modelo '89 Vegan Apple
Shoes made out of food waste? You betcha! The Modelo '89 Vegan Apple model is made of apple leftovers from the juice and jam industries, processed into a fine powder and converted into a vegan 'leather' material! The resulting footwear saves 4.34 m3 water eq, 3.7 kg CO2 eq, and 2.58g phosphates eq. Find them in their hi-top and low-top editions to match your personal style now!
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Saye Modelo '89 Vegan Cactus
Their cactus leather collection is known for its softness to touch, and advanced performance. Available in two tones, it's constructed with cactus leather, corn leather, bamboo, recycled PET, recycled PU, synthetic rubber, natural rubber, and topped off with 100% certified organic cotton laces!
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Saye Modelo '89 Vegan Mango
Saye offers one very cool and unique sneaker design modeled with mango leather! It also contains corn leather, bamboo, recycled PET, recycled PU, synthetic and natural rubber, and organic cotton laces. Its silhouette is sleek, casual, and current while also leaving a smaller footprint on our planet. Check them out!
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ECOALF
Price Range | $$$
Waterproof Options | NO
Ethos | Certified B Corporation Recognized as Top 5% Best for the World, Recycled and Bio-Based Materials.
Materials | Recycled Nylon, Recycled Polyester, Polyester, Sorona.
A Spanish brand set on creating totally sustainable pieces that protect our planet's natural resources, Ecoalf should be on your radar. They even collaborated recently with Michelin and CORDURA to launch a collection of sneakers made with recycled materials from each company. The upper is made out of CORDURA 100% recycled polyester fabric, while the outsole is made with 20% reused Michelin scrap rubber. The rest of each shoe also made with all recycled or bio-based materials. Check out their top three models below for more info!
Ecoalf Oregon
Crafted with Sorona® high-performance fabric, which is traceable, sustainably sourced, and partially plant-based, EcoAlf's Oregon Trainers tick all the boxes. They're also composed of algae, recycled polyester, EVA, and rubber. Available in five monochromatic styles, these sneakers are breathable, supportive, and minimalistic enough to match a variety of fits! Try them out!
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Ecoalf Prince
For a casual, everyday sneaker that will fit any wardrobe, go for EcoAlf's Prince Trainers! Available in four elegant, muted styles, they're made of recycled nylon, recycled polyester, PU, Recycled EVA, and are totally PFC-free.
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Ecoalf Abantos
Looking for a pair of resistant, waterproof kicks? The ultra-durable Abantos Trainers are made with recycled materiasl from CORDURA® and Michelin®, including recycled polyester fabric and scrap rubber. The lining and laces are made of 100% recycled polyester, the nylon straps are 100% recycled nylon, the insole is 100% recycled PU, and the midsole is actually made of 20% sugar cane!
Its clean, fashion-forward silhouette pairs well with all wardrobes, and its supportive, cushiony feel is ideal for strolling around the city for hours on end. Select your favorite out of the two available styles now!
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Stella McCartney Vegan Sneakers
Price Range | $$-$$$
Waterproof Options | NO
Ethos | Vegan, PVC-Free, Ethical Trading Initiative Members, Sustainable Paper and Cardboard Packaging.
Materials | Econyl Recycled Nylon, Microsilk, Mylo Mushroom Leather, KOBA Fur Free Fur, NuCycle Yarn, Coreva Biodegradable Stretched Denim, Piñatex Pineapple Leather, Synthetics.
An all-vegan high-fashion brand, Stella McCartney offers a huge range of vegan sneakers, and has even collaborated with Adidas to produce plenty of fabulous sustainable kicks in popular styles! As an eco-conscious brand, many of their materials are recycled, like their polyester, polyamide, and ocean plastic yarn. They also use sustainable rubber and ECONYL (rescued nylon from our oceans). With tons of designs ranging from futuristic to classic, this is definitely a brand to watch out for. Check out some of their most outstanding models below!
Stella Mccartney Stan Smith Adidas
A vegan, sustainable remake of the classic Stan Smiths by Adidas, this collab resulted in a vegan cult favorite! The Stella Stan Smiths are made with recycled polyester and other all-vegan materials to replace the animal leather used in the original Stan Smiths by Adidas.
You'll spot a black and white Stella McCartney and Stan Smith portrait on the right and left tongues, respectively. We also loved that they included both white and rainbow laces as a fun finishing touch!
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Stella McCartney Recylpse Sneakers
Made of recycled or plant-based materials, Reclypse sneakers are available in four striking styles. Their linings are made of ECONYL regenerated nylon, the uppers are recycled polyester, and their tractor soles are made with bio-based materials. This collection was truly designed with the planet in mind!
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Stella McCartney S-Wave 1 Trainers
Stella McCartney's S-Wave 1 range features three monochromatic, elaborate designs that are sure to turn heads! Their uppers are made of ECONYL regenerated nylon, and their soles, of recycled TPU.
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We hope you’ve found a vegan sneaker brand you can feel comfortable supporting! These companies are some of the few out there providing animal-free, sustainable alternatives for all to wear. That said, the best of luck on your vegan journey, and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news, advice, and recommendations for your ethical lifestyle!
Our Pick: LØCI
Price Range | $-$$
Waterproof Options | YES
Ethos | 100% Vegan, Handmade in Portugal, Supporters of Sea Shepherd and Mission Blue.
Materials | Cork Insoles, Recycled Ocean Plastic Upper, Bamboo and Recycled Nylon Lining, Recycled Brass, 100% Natural Rubber.
Made of bio-based and recycled materials, including recycled ocean plastic, LØCI's all-vegan sneakers leave no footprint! In fact, they've removed over one million plastic bottles from the ocean. And best of all, each pair is designed for extra durability, and totally comfortable for everyday wear. Ticks all the boxes and more! In fact, this is actually one of the 100% vegan brands you'll find in our list.
What compelled us to select this incredible brand as our top pick was how involved they are in helping to save the planet. Incredibly, a huge 10% of their online profits go to a series of environmental organizations, including one of our favorites: Sea Shepherd! Learn more about this incredible organization here.
We also loved the fact that their sneakers are ALL water resistant. So, they have a better chance at surviving over the years, since there is a reduced risk of permanently damaging them due to unexpected events, like sudden rain or flooding.
Some of the sustainable materials used by this brand include maize "leather", 100% natural rubber, cork, recycled bamboo, recycled brass, recycled foam, and of course, recycled plastic waste. Check out some of our favorite LØCI sneaker models below!
LØCI NINE Collection
LØCI's most popular model, the LØCI X REED NINE was designed for everyday use, and is the most sustainable out of all of their collections. Like their other designs, this one leaves no carbon footprint for future generations to deal with.
However, what we love most about this one is it's incredible durability. It's made of recycled, water-resistant materials, a custom-made cork insole, and lightweight recycled rubber to last you so much longer. Its production even puts 20 recycled plastic water bottles to good use!
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LØCI TEN
This gorgeous footwear belongs in your closet! These shoes come in thirteen styles, but just a warning, you may find yourself wanting to collect them all. The LØCI TENs feature a natural rubber sole, a cork insole, and a lightweight recycled rubber sole that won't hold you back as you explore the city!
One pair of these stylish kicks puts 20 plastic bottles to good use, keeping them from ending up in our oceans. They're handmade in Portugal, thoughtfully constructed for ultimate durability and comfort. Give them a try today!
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LØCI ELEVEN
Possibly LØCI's hottest design yet, LØCI ELEVENs come in ten clean, minimalistic, 70s inspired styles. Each pair keeps 20 plastic bottles out of our oceans, and is made with cork insoles, rubber soles, and other recycled materials. Pair these high-tops with sweatpants, shorts, cuffed jeans, or even a long skirt and turn heads wherever you go!
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