Put your best foot forward with these eco-friendly labels
An ecological genre of style which is oft forgotten, sustainable footwear is just as important (if not more so) than the clothes we consider. After all, shoes are a necessity – unless you’re on a beach (lucky you).
According to The Shoe Industry, more than 20 billion pairs of shoes are manufactured each year, hence it’s more important than ever to think carefully about the products we are purchasing and wearing. Are they created with harmful chemicals? Will they biodegrade? Have they been produced ethically and ecologically? It’s important to ask these questions, and invest in the brands that provide right-minded answers. From Novesta to Penelope Chilvers, we bring you eight of the most sustainable footwear brands to shop now.
Sustainable Footwear Brands To Shop Now
Woden
You may have heard of vegan leather – but have you come across fish leather? Since the Scandinavian brand launched in 2013, Woden sources the leather as a waste product from the Icelandic fishing and food industry, where typically only 1% of fish skin is actually used. The skin’s unique cross-fiber structure makes it 10 times resilient than calf leather. The collection’s focus is sneakers for women and kids. woden.com
Stella McCartney
Fashion-forward and eco-conscious brand Stella McCartney continues to wow with its take on green fashion. The latest addition to its legacy of vegan, sustainable innovations is the Reclypse trainer collection. The trainers bring Stella McCartney one step closer to to sustainability and circularity by blending athleticism with new sustainable materials. Made from a mix of recycled polyester, plant-based and renewable materials, and ECONYL®, the Reclypse collection is one you’ll want to get your hands on if your passion for the planet matches your love for the gym. The collection launches on 25 August 2021. stellamccartney.com
INUIKII
Swiss brand INUIKII creates handmade shoes, meaning each pair is unique. All materials used are carefully considered, natural and organic, with minimal waste ensured throughout. The company was founded by Cinzia Maag and her sons, who initially set out to create stylish but practical footwear for the colder months, but the range now includes sandals too. The brand-new summer collection is available now online, and the AW21 collection is soon to launch in Selfridges. inuikii.com
SAYE
Renowned for its vegan and recycled sneakers, SAYE are the perfect fit for those wanting something casual and stylish. Where to start? We suggest the M89 Cactus Collection, a collaboration between SAYE and Desserto Mexico. The sneakers are made using Nopal Cactus, with bamboo lining and organic cotton laces. Another bonus: SAYE has promised to plant two trees for each pair of shoes sold, with over 165,000 planted so far. sayebrand.com
Allkind
Since launching in 2020 Allkind have been committed to providing luxury women’s shoes that are still 100% vegan. Designed in Britain and crafted in Spain, their shoes not only use vegan but recycled materials. All soles and shoe boxes are entirely recycled, and even their business cards are made from old t-shirts. With 5% of all profits going to PETA and The Rainforest Trust, and a business model that has been carbon negative since day one, these are the perfect shoes for a smaller footprint. allkind.co.uk
Reformation
Pioneering sustainable fashion brand Reformation has spent the past couple of years working hard on its shoe offering. While there are plenty of eco-friendly trainer brands on the market, dress shoes are trickier to produce sustainably – but Reformation has done a stellar job with its new line. All 15 styles are made from recyclable materials, and a partnership with Looptworks means customers can use a first-of-its-kind takeback programme to make the process easier. thereformation.com
Elliott
Founded in Copenhagen in 2018, Elliott is the world’s first climate-positive shoe brand – which means the business is actually having a positive effect on the environment. The company is a member of the UNFCC climate change initiative, which means a pair of its shoes reverse the carbon footprint with a climate positive offset of 1 tonne of CO2. Customers are also actively encouraged to recycle their shoes at the end of their life in return for 15 per cent off their next purchase. There are four main styles to choose from, all unisex, with low classic and high top variations and a minimalist colour palette, made from vegan leather, suede and recycled rubber and canvas. elliottfootwear.com
Penelope Chilvers
Why have regular shoes when you can have Penelope Chilvers shoes – in which the soles are made of old tyres. This is the kind of creative recycling we love to see. In addition, the brand’s ‘waste not want not’ motto means zero plastics are used throughout the collections. penelopechilvers.com
Novesta
Dating back to the late 1930s, Novesta knows a thing or two about making high-quality footwear. What’s more, the Slovakian brand is serious about sustainability. Every collection is manufactured “according to the highest environmental standards”, crafted with natural rubber and 100 per cent cotton and linen. Plus, the brand’s long-established and timeless designs ensure your feet will never be lacking in style – or comfort. gonovesta.com
Novesta Star Master Shoes Mono Beige, £42, workingclassheroes.co.uk
Good News
Good News produce effortlessly cool sneakers. The brand is sustainable from the start of the shoe-making process to after the shoe is no longer wanted. Created with the aim of using a platform to promote a healthy planet, Good News goes to great lengths to ensure its carbon, water and chemical footprint is as low as possible. Each pair of shoes is made with a recycled rubber sole, organic cotton and weave uppers, and a recycled eco-lite footbed. The brand also has a small supply chain to be able to care for each person involved. Finally, Good News will donate deadstock and faulty shoes to refugees in need, as well as the homeless. Shop them at Dover Street Market and goodnews.london
Yatay
Not only are Yatay’s shoes 100 per cent sustainable, but its packaging is too. Get your hands (or feet) on a pair of these sustainable sneakers. The brand uses entirely eco-friendly materials – expect them to arrive in a box made of five plastic bottles making its environmental impact approximately 90 per cent lower than a traditional shoebox. yatayatay.com
No More Plastic designed by Azza Slimene, £260, yatayatay.com
Aspiga
Aspiga was launched after founder Lucy Macnamara fell in love with the impressive craftspersonship in Kenya – in particular, the handmade beach sandals. The label practices ethical trading, supports local communities, as well as ensuring the supply chain is small, trustworthy and transparent, using natural fibres to create each piece. aspiga.com
Veja
Veja’s sneakers are everywhere – look around London and it feels like everyone has a pair. This is a national obsession we can get on board with, because the brand is big on transparency. Customers can look into Veja’s supply and production chain and find out all the information they need to know. Plus, the vegan shoes are totally inexpensive for stylish design and well-thought-out materials. vega-store.com
Veja V-12 Leather White Guimauve Marsala, £115, veja-store.com
Allbirds
Eco-friendly shoe brand Allbirds works to be as transparent as possible when it comes to sustainability. Just head to the company website and it’s all laid out for you, from how the brand operates to the materials used and its effective manufacturing process. Advocates for sourcing natural and sustainable materials, the brand champions Regenerative Agriculture and is working towards reducing 100 per cent of on-farm emissions from its wool by December 2025, with the entirety of its wool coming from regenerative sources. allbirds.co.uk
LØCI
Experts in creating 100 per cent luxury vegan sneakers, LØCI is on a mission to save our oceans and its inhabitants with its ‘Buy One, Save One’ initiative, in which for every pair of LØCI’s sold, the brand donates 10 per cent of profits towards safeguarding our sea life. The luxury footwear label has recently partnered with actress Nikki Reed to create a new capsule collection crafted entirely from sustainable materials. lociwear.com
Mercer Amsterdam
The Dutch sneaker brand has been a pioneer in sustainability for nearly eight years, keen to prove that sustainable alternatives aren’t a compromise for fashion. Mercer’s aim is to be at the forefront of sustainable innovation, showing that standard materials can be interchanged for plant-based, recycled materials, and still be cool. merceramsterdam.com
Rosamund Muir
This made-to-order women’s footwear brand pledges itself to sustainability through a zero waste approach to production. Rosamund Muir prides itself on its attention to detail and craftsmanship, using these qualities to empower the women wearing their shoes. Their newest collection highlights luxury and hard wearing, but still incorporates the brand’s emphasis on style and fun. rosamundmuir.com
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