The 6 Best Vegan Shoe Brands

It's not always easy to find beautiful shoe brands when you're looking for leather-free ones , while still keeping style ! It sometimes takes many hours of research to find an original pair. So let's talk little, let's talk well, let's talk fashion, let's talk vegan fashion.

But first, let's go back to basics and start by defining what vegan and vegan shoes mean.

What are vegan shoes?

A vegan person is designed without animal materials, therefore without leather.
A vegan shoe does not consume any animal products, it does not eat meat, fish or dairy products. Heeeuuuu no sorry, it's the other way around, let's put all that back in order!

A vegan person avoids all products of animal origin in their lifestyle, whether in their diet (we are talking about a vegan diet) but also in terms of clothing by avoiding materials from animals, such as leather and wool.

Vegan shoes are made without components of animal origin, therefore without leather, but also without fish-based glue.
Few people know this, but fish derivatives are found in a lot of glue, not just in the shoe industry.

Is Zebra Vegan Shop only for vegans?

Not at all! Zebra Vegan Shop is above all an online FASHION store !
I select shoes for their aesthetics, their pretty design, their beautiful finishes, their quality, their comfort. And of course, the big plus, the big and delicious cherry on the cake, is that no living being was exploited or killed to produce them. (If you want information on the impacts of leather, it's here , a subject in its own right).

Is a vegan shoe also eco-friendly?

The answer is: not necessarily! Vegan does not mean ecological or organic.
As mentioned, a shoe is defined as "vegan" to mean that it does not contain animal material. The PETA label simply verifies and guarantees this.
However, this does not provide any information on its environmental impact or its place of manufacture.
Cheap vegan shoes can absolutely be made from cheap plastic, by children on the other side of the world.

So I can assure you that this is not the kind of pair of shoes you will find here!
Indeed, in addition to being vegan, the brands distributed on Zebra Vegan Shop manufacture in Europe in good conditions, using quality materials . They use eco-responsible materials as much as possible, such as recycled textiles or organic cotton (especially for shoe linings). For the upper, they use innovative alternative materials to leather , based on plants and fruits, in order to reduce the proportion of polyurethane. The use of polyurethane gives strength to shoes, but it is often criticized because it mainly comes from the oil industry. Fortunately, there is more and more bio-sourced PU, it is chemistry, well explained in this article: https://www.modeintextile.fr/nouvelle-chimie-polyurethane-plus-vert/

Basically, on Zebra Vegan Shop, we present vegan shoe brands that meet many eco-responsible criteria and when they are not flawless, we also tell you so to avoid greenwashing !

Who selected the best vegan shoe brands?

It's me, Cyrielle, the founder of Zebra Vegan Shop! A shoe addict since childhood, I'm not trying to cure myself. I know, overconsumption of shoes is bad, but what can you do, you can't be perfect! The advantage is that I can tell you with complete honesty and knowledge what the best vegan shoe brands are, since on the one hand, I have analyzed them from every angle , and on the other hand, I have been able to try them, wear them and love them!
I would like to point out that the selected brands offer vegan shoes for women and men , so no need to be jealous!

Come on, it's time to reveal my selection of the 6 best vegan shoe brands , 3 of them are sneaker brands ! And yes, the sneaker has been the queen for a few years.

Nae Vegan Shoes: the pioneers

NAE is an acronym for No Animal Exploitation. We immediately understand that this brand has been committed to the animal cause since its launch in 2008. NAE offers a wide range of vegan shoes for women and men, from boots to sneakers, derbies and sandals, all models are of top quality and comfort. This brand closely follows trends in order to offer models that are always in fashion.
NAE works with manufacturing workshops in Portugal , including a family factory with artisanal know-how, a partner since their beginnings, and being the first Portuguese company to have obtained the ISO 9001 certificate and the 3rd in Europe.

Will's Vegan Store: the most choice

One of the essential brands when it comes to vegan shoes, because it offers numerous models and revisits all the iconic pairs like Chelsea boots (a sure bet whatever your outfit), or even Dock boots or Work boots .
Will's focuses on classic and timeless designs , with careful finishes and resistant materials. The brand is therefore positioned on sustainable and timeless vegan shoes and aims to democratize vegan fashion with affordable prices .
Most of the shoes are made of bio-sourced Italian faux leather derived from cereal crops. None of the shoes contain PVC, and recycled materials are often used, such as the soles, which are made from recycled rubber. In terms of manufacturing, Will's shoes are produced in Portugal and Italy .

Altercore: the most punk

For those looking for bold, punk-rock style vegan shoes , the pairs from the “ANIMAL FRIENDLY LINE” collection by the Altercore brand should please you!
Indeed, ALTERCORE shoes are intended for people who wish to express their independence and individuality through their look. We love the big, imposing soles , which have become very trendy in recent seasons! And above all, we have a big crush on their pair of creepers because it is frankly not easy to find such successful ones in vegan materials! Production in Poland , origin of the brand, and some pairs in Portugal .

Regarding the materials used, it is mainly Oeko Tex standard 100 certified microfiber, a material that looks like leather and has interesting properties: waterproof, breathable, antibacterial, robust. It is not the most ecological material there is, on the other hand, in terms of resistance , it is undeniable: it is strong! You will keep your Altercore pair for many years!

Beflamboyant: the most stylish

We love the story of the brand created by a young Spanish couple who love shopping together. They were tired of having to go to separate stores, so they decided to create unisex pairs of sneakers ! Timeless but stylish designs , with touches of color that bring originality and allow everyone to find the pair that suits them. The UX-68 model quickly became a bestseller with its different color variations. Beflamboyant also offers white vegan sneakers like Stan Smith , which go with all wardrobes, made from an alter-leather composed of corn waste, like the Manimal model .
BEFLAMBOYANT is a brand in tune with the times , motivated to change trends towards more responsible fashion .

Vesicapiscis: the most ethical

This is probably the most impeccable brand I know. This brand wants to be ethical on all levels : from the material to the manufacturing, including the packaging. Vesicapiscis positions itself very clearly outside the mass market, against overproduction. This small company does not have stock and only manufactures to order , in their own workshop in Spain.
Among the materials used, we find organic cotton , recycled cotton , recycled polyester from plastic bottles, or even natural rubber from the hevea tree for the soles which also offers top comfort!
In terms of style, we love their different models of canvas sneakers , perfect for spring for a casual or streetwear look. Some models have a skate design that can remind you of Vans . Several colors available and very reasonable prices for ethical fashion!

Ashoka Paris: the most innovative

This French brand breaks the codes with a design never before seen in the world of vegan sneakers .
Let's be honest, we often find the same kind of models in many stores or shoe websites: sneakers with a fairly flat sole, white in color, a Stan Smith style, classic and timeless of course, but a little boring let's admit it.
The Ashoka brand has released the Lewis model , a high-quality running shoe that surprises us with its thick notched sole (so comfortable!) and its pretty color combinations. There is even a Leopard version that is so daring!
The pair of vegan Matéo sneakers is available in low or high versions. Ashoka uses bio-sourced materials produced in Italy: Appleskin and an alter-leather made from vegetable oil from cereals.

I hope you like this selection! I am keen to introduce you to European brands that stand out from the crowd and that embody real values.
I would have liked to tell you about the Stella McCartney brand, avant-garde in the creation of vegan shoes, but its "luxury" positioning does not suit all budgets!

More and more shoe brands are now designing vegan collections, and that's great! The more choice there is, the more "normal" it will become to choose animal-friendly materials .

In a future article, we will decipher some of the big, well-known brands that offer vegan collections.

Don't hesitate to share this article around you and tell us in the comments if you know of other cool brands!