Ethical and Sustainable Shoe Brands Worth the Investment
While I always try to prioritize ethical and sustainable business practices, this has proved especially useful when it comes to shoes.
Before I started considering the ethics of what I consume, I was someone who would buy a half a dozen cheap shoes every season. They were a trend item for me.
Comfort and longevity didn’t really matter. But after college, when I started working in the service industry full-time, my feet started to feel the effects of long hours standing at coffee counters or restocking merchandise. I needed a better quality shoe.
Luckily, this roughly coincided with my interest in sustainable fashion. I was ready to pay a higher price for a better item, and many of the offerings in the ethical and sustainable shoe market are made using time-tested shoe-making techniques that ensure both better performance and quality.
Just a note: especially for those of us who work on our feet, shoes are an incredibly important piece of equipment, more of a medical item than a fashion statement. So I always recommend buying what works best for you and your feet, regardless of the maker.
But if you’re looking for something with a focus on labor ethics and sustainability, the ethical and sustainable shoe brands listed here are a great choice.
My Picks for Ethical and Sustainable Shoe Brands
Contains affiliate links
1. Nisolo
- WHAT THEY SELL: supple leather, minimalist shoes for men and women
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: building infrastructure in Peru | transparent business model | classic, timeless styles | leather sourced from small scale industry
- LEARN MORE HERE. – 20% off sitewide through 12/29/20 with code, GIFTME
2. Fortress of Inca
- WHAT THEY SELL: modern leather shoes and boots for women
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: fair trade | builds infrastructure | locally sourced materials | fair pricing
- LEARN MORE HERE.
3. Bhava
- WHAT THEY SELL: vegan shoes and boots for women
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: vegan | ethical wages | sustainable and eco-friendly materials | woman-owned
- LEARN MORE HERE.
4. Frye
- WHAT THEY SELL: leather shoes and boots for women and men
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: made in USA products are ethically produced| traditional practices make them repairable
- LEARN MORE HERE.
5. Allbirds
- WHAT THEY SELL: sneakers, flats, and boat shoes for women and men
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: traceable wool and tree-fiber | biodegradable | ethical production | purchases carbon offsets
- LEARN MORE HERE.
6. TOMS
- WHAT THEY SELL: shoes, sandals, boots, and dress shoes for women, men, & kids
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: (no longer a one-for-one) | 33% of profit given to charitable initiatives | sustainable and ethical production
- LEARN MORE HERE.
7. Rothy’s
- WHAT THEY SELL: shoes and sneakers for women
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: recycled materials | washable | owned factory | low-waste production
- LEARN MORE HERE.
8. ABLE
- WHAT THEY SELL: flats, boots, and dressy shoes for women
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: transparent wages | sustainable business practices | investment in artisan communities
- LEARN MORE HERE.
9. Alice & Whittles
- WHAT THEY SELL: rain boots, winter & hiking boot, and sneakers for women
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: natural materials | 90% traceable materials | WOC-led | ethical production
- LEARN MORE HERE.
10. Darzah
- WHAT THE SELL: flats and boots for women
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: locally-sourced textiles | women’s empowerment | traditional artisanship | fair wages
- LEARN MORE HERE.
11. VEJA
- WHAT THEY SELL: a small selection of super cool sneakers (they run about a half-size small)
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: organic cotton purchased from a small scale farmers’ coop | sustainably harvested rubber | leather from cows that aren’t farmed on deforested rainforest land | does not advertise | produces on demand to reduce waste | CO2 reduction | works with marginalized communities
- LEARN MORE HERE.
12. Oliberte
- WHAT THEY SELL: casual suede flats, shoes, and boots for men and women
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: fair trade certified | certified b corp | lifetime warranty | leather sourced from small scale industry | local rubber | limited packaging
- LEARN MORE HERE.
13. Root Collective
- WHAT THEY SELL: women’s flats and boots made with embroidered textiles and other fabric
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: fair pay | works with marginalized communities | local textile sourcing
- LEARN MORE HERE.
14. Sseko Designs
- WHAT THEY SELL: leather loafers, boots, and sandals for women
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: locally sourced textiles | leather sourced from local industry | fair trade | builds infrastructure | woman owned, woman run
- LEARN MORE HERE.
15. Etiko
- WHAT THEY SELL: Converse look-a-like low and high top sneakers for men and women
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: fair trade | works with marginalized communities | fair trade premiums for infrastructure development | sustainable cotton and rubber sourcing
- LEARN MORE HERE.
16. Po-Zu
- WHAT THEY SELL: a wide variety of shoes and boots for men and women
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: sustainable | renewable materials | use renewable energy | small scale | ship items for lower carbon emissions | fair wages | eco-friendly, nontoxic work environment | organic and innovative materials
- LEARN MORE HERE.
17. Sole Rebels
- WHAT THEY SELL: flats and sandals
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: 4 times minimum wage pay | medical coverage | free transportation for employees | wages not quota dependent | sustainable production | locally sourced materials | builds infrastructure | cultural preservation | organic and recycled materials
- LEARN MORE HERE.
18. OESH
- WHAT THEY SELL: 3-D printed and injection molded sandals and sneakers for women
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: low to no waste | locally sourced materials | 3-D printed | woman owned, woman run | made in Charlottesville, VA | biodegradable materials
- LEARN MORE HERE.
19. Deux Mains
- WHAT THEY SELL: simple, modern sandals for women
- WHY THEY’RE ETHICAL: builds infrastructure | employee owned and operated | works with marginalized communities | locally sourced materials | fair wages
- LEARN MORE HERE.
Leah Wise
Leah Wise is the founder of StyleWise Blog. She has been writing, speaking, and consulting on sustainable fashion, the fair trade and secondhand supply chain, and digital marketing for over ten years. An Episcopal priest, Leah holds a B.A. in Religion from Florida State University and an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School. When not working, you can find her looking for treasures at the thrift store.
Laura
Thursday 21st of January 2021
Very interesting article, thanks also for having explained in detail the company choices and the sustainability that each of them represents. But I am surprised not to see a brand: ACBC. I have been wearing their shoes for a long time, as well as being comfortable they are also sustainable. I chose them precisely because by recycling plastic bottles and vegetable waste they can make shoes emitting less carbon dioxide.
That said, congratulations on the article, some companies I didn't know about them, so know more :)