Vegetarian or Vegan Shoes
Stylish, Comfortable, Versatile
and Animal Friendly

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Vegan shoes have come a long way. No longer a cheap discount store item. Today's non leather shoes may be designed by well known designers and are often found within the pages of fashion magazines.

Leather has always been the material of choice for our shoes because of it's durability, flexibility and breath-ability. But if you have been wanting an animal friendly choice of vegetarian shoes until recently you have not had many choices.

Vegan shoes have often been found to be stiff and hot. More like you would expect from cheap shoes. It has taken awhile but new composite resins have been developed that have created non leather materials that are much improved. So much so that that larger companies like Skechers, Life Stride, Birkenstock, Adidas and New Balance now offer non leather or vegan shoes.

It helps that some designers like Stella McCartney have included non leather shoes in their collections and that so many celebrities are vegan and want great looking shoes that are animal friendly. Some of them like Natalie Portman and Jessica Simpson have created shoes using manmade materials.

Manmade Materials: An Eco Friendly Choice

I can't help but wonder how earth friendly synthetic leather could be, after all this is a manmade material and often these are not earth friendly choices but new processing of some synthetic materials is helping to make them a little more environmentally friendly and biodegradable. Further improvements should be seen in the future.

Leather, although a natural material, is hardly eco friendly. Many harmful chemicals are used to preserve and dye it and once all these chemicals are added it is not biodegradeable.

Materials Used To Make Vegan Shoes

Naugahyde, a brand name of pleather, combine textiles and polyurethane to create a leather like material which after years of improvement are found to be lighter, warmer, less restrictive, water resistant and easy to clean and according to their website it can be produced with an environmentally friendly top coat. They also do not use solvent or ozone depleting chemicals

Lorica also uses a fabric coated with polyurethane.

Faux suede or suedette are synthetic suede cloth that is soft and breathable.

Microfibers are a lightweight woven polyester and polyurethane that are water repellent

Ultrasuede combines a plastic polymer with micro fibers to create a durable, washable, breathable, lightweight fabric.

Birkiflor is a synthetic shoe upper created by Brikenstock. It is a combination of acrylic and polymer felt fibers that create a smooth leather like finish that is waterproof and breathable.

Vegetarian Shoes uses a product called Vegetan. Available as Vegetan Active, Bucky and Micro, it is a combination of polyurethane and cotton that is tough, hard wearing, lightweight and breathable material.

As you can see most of the leather like materials use a combination of fabric with plastic or polyurethane. Some companies like the last two mentioned above create their own materials to meet their own needs.

Not all vegan shoes are made of synthetic leather. Other manmade and natural alternatives are available like cotton, hemp, cork, wood, faux fur, brocades, linen, vinyl and plastic. They help provide a little variety and fun.

Another Consideration When Buying Vegan Shoes

You may find it difficult to buy vegetarian shoes locally. Discount stores often carry shoes that are made from imitation leather and could be one solution when looking for vegan shoes locally. But there is something else to consider here.

These shoes while inexpensive can be made by companies in developing countries with little concern for human welfare. There are real issues about the sweatshop conditions that men, women and even children must endure in order to manufacture shoes.

The Better World Shopping Guide gives discount and department store brands a grade of F. According to this guide: "This category is reserved for companies that are actively participating in the rapid destruction of the planet and the exploitation of human beings. Avoid these products at all costs."

Inexpensive shoes may be made with poor quality synthetic leather and you may find that they are hot and uncomfortable.

Vegan Ballet Shoes

One person who is making a difference in an area that seems to be have been overlooked. Cynthia King, a dancer and choreographer and the director of Cynthia King Dance Studio in Brooklyn, New York who is also a dedicated animal welfare advocate has created the only 100% vegan ballet slipper available worldwide. Now I don't know anything about ballet shoes but someone who is a dancer herself would have high expectations about fit and comfort. Her 100% Vegan Soft Canvas Shoes are receiving good reviews. Check out Cynthia King Ballet Shoes.

Places to Start Your Shoe Search

At this point the best selections for animal friendly shoes can be found on the Internet. Endless Shoes and Handbags offers a large selection of vegetarian shoes for the whole family. Some of their styles are made by companies that are concerned with being as eco friendly as possible and sweatshop free. The advantage here are frequent sales and discounts, free, fast shipping, free return shipping and a price guarantee.

Also check out the shoe collections from the companies below.


These companies have made a conscious choice to try and provide animal friendly and sweatshop free products.

I use the word try because unless a company personally inspects shoe factories they have to rely on the honesty of their suppliers and manufacturers to live up to their commitments to providing sweatshop free shoes.

So what to do with the leather shoes you have already have, well you could donate them or continue to wear them and little by little faze the leather out. The next pair of cute shoes you buy could be vegan shoes. Sounds like a plan.