My vegan shoe collection

Today I present all of my vegan shoes, including information about each company, as well as a small review of the feel and quality. If new shoes are added, of course, I’ll complete the list. Why vegan shoes? I’ve been trying to avoid buying new leather. For ethical reasons on the one hand, but also because the tanning of leather is not environmentally friendly. Many say that leather is a natural material and therefore also sustainable. You can find out more about this in this video. That’s why I’ve been trying to buy only vegan shoes and make sure that they as sustainable and fair as possible. None of the companies I present today are perfect, but they all seem to work as sustainably as possible. Many of them can also prove this with various certificates.

Advanced warning: I am not a 100% vegan. I hate labels and being stuck into drawers. I’m very vegan in some areas, but not in others. But I do my best and always try to think a lot about my consumption. For example, I would most likely still buy 2nd Hand leather shoes for sustainability reasons. I have found no sustainable alternative for high-intensity sports shoes. Most of the shoes that I present in the following are produced in Europe. But on Avesu.de you will find other cheap alternatives!

Let’s start with my chic boho boots by By Blanch. I am wearing the model Nightfall Brown (PR Sample). I have not gotten any blisters from these shoes, but I still have to break them in, as the sole is quite hard and hurts my feet. However, I bet it will soften up over time, and I LOVE their designs! The materials are all produced in Europe and Ecolabel certified and the shoes are made in Spain.

One of my absolute favorite labels is Good Guys Don’t Wear Leather, a French company, Peta-approved vegan. The materials are made in Italy, Spain and Portugal and the shoes assembled in Portugal. The company uses materials that are certified according to Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and, according to the website, the production is also CO2-neutral. I ordered the model Samo White. The sneakers felt great right away and I did not get any blisters. The shoe runs a bit big, so I ordered the 39 here (I wear size 39.5-40). Even though the shoe looks pretty hard, it is super soft and comfortable to wear. The material is also breathable, so no sweaty feet! I also ordered the black Norider biker boots (I received a Blogger discount for both models) that are perfect for the winter. But I only tested them up to about 0 degrees and not below. They stay warm for 4-8 degrees, then my feet feel a bit cold. These were comfortable from the beginning, but the right shoe pressed a bit on the heel on the zipper and also gave me blisters. But I toughed it out, wearing thick socks and getting blisters for a few days and now they fit very well! I ordered one size up, so a 40.

Beyond Skin also produces in Spain, is Peta-approved vegan, and uses sustainable materials that are made in Italy. The soles are made partly of recycled materials and the insoles of recycled materials. The company also tries to be as sustainable as possible when it comes to packaging using fair-trade bags and recycled paper. Beyond Skin writes on their website that they are not 100% sustainable, I don’t think there is a company in the world that produces new goods that is, but they do their best, they want to keep evolving and I like that transparency! I treated myself (paid for myself, without a blogger discount) to black, flat Overknees. I think they are suuuuper chic AND comfortable 🙂 They are made of a suede imitation and on the top of the shaft they have an elastic band. I didn’t go hiking with them or anything, but I’ve explored Paris with them for two days and found them very comfortable! In the winter, I would recommend to use warmer sole inlays, since the sole is quite thin. Their customer service is also really good!

Bourgeois Boheme immediately caught my eye when they added pineapple leather! Pineapple leather, also called Pinatex, is an innovative leather alternative made from old pineapple leaves. In addition Bourgeois Boheme also uses sustainably grown cork. I ordered the sandals in Pinatex black and in fabric beige. Even though they look super comfortable, they are in all honestly only mildly comfortable. I find them a bit hard, and they pressed a bit on the top. I have broken them in now and don’t really have any problems, but I would still not wear them for very long periods. They are better suited for a leisurely stroll, short walks, etc. But I think they look very chic and fit any outfit! I bought both pairs myself. Again I can totally recommend their customer service!

A long time ago, I received vegan sneakers from Muro Exe as a PR sample and I still love them! They’re super comfy, feel like I’m wearing thick socks and also have a cool, minimalist look. The company produces in Spain and China, but writes on its website that they regularly visit the production sites. Of course, even more transparency would be great here. My model is as I said, VERY comfortable and due to the thick fabric quite warm. They are already relatively old so I can only link you to a similar model here. Pay attention to whether you prefer a narrow model or a broad model. The narrow models are great for me, but the wide ones are not.

I think you have already seen enough of my vegan and fair trade sneakers from Ethletic on the blog 🙂 I really wear them all the time! I find them almost more comfortable than the classic Chucks and they seem to last longer! Moreover, they are also really fairly priced at 69,90 🙂 They are manufactured with some certificates: fair trade certified, GOTS, FSC and of course Peta-approved vegan.

I ordered vegan Dr Martens ages ago! They are top quality but unfortunately I do not know how sustainable and fair the company is. They are relatively clumsy and wide shoes, but therefore relatively comfortable because they are not so tight. I have slim, long feet. But I would not want to wear them all day, just because they are so chunky.

Two years ago, I treated myself to two pairs of Slowers sandals, as I found them relatively cheap. Unfortunately, somehow both pairs are not perfect for me. The sandals are a few millimeters too wide for me and the espadrilles are a bit too short. In addition, I found the quality only medicore, since a few spots have come apart in the past years. But maybe this has improved in the past couple years. Do you have new insights for me here?

Last but not the least, we come to my very, very chic high heels from Susi Studio. Super chic and relatively comfortable (for high shoes…). I bought them 2 years ago for a super chic New York wedding and had them sent to my boyfriend’s parents in the US. I’m wearing a size 9. The synthetic leather is made from recycled plastic bottles and produced in Portugal and Hong Kong by a women-only company. It’s a bit harder to order these shoes from Germany, but I wanted to show them anyway!

Do you own vegan-certified shoes? Are you for or against vegan shoes? What are your thoughts on the subject? Find more vegan shoe brands in my Ethical Fashion Guide!

If at any time I get new shoes, about which I can write a small review, I will add them to the list of course. Until then, you might also want to watch my video (in German though) about my vegan shoe collection. Actually, I’m telling almost the same thing as above, but some people prefer to hear or see over reading. Have fun: