Vegan sneakers are becoming more and more widely available, with even some mainstream sneaker brands releasing vegan shoes in recent years. But as a vegan for 17 years, I know it can be tricky to figure which vegan sneakers are the best and which brands can you count on.
That’s why, with 17 years of experience buying vegan footwear, and writing about it, I’ve put together this list of the best vegan sneakers to help you with your choice.
The best vegan sneakers:
Ration.l vegan sneakers
Why I love them: an all-vegan, gender-neutral brand that makes minimalist vegan sneakers? yes please!
Ration.l is a fully vegan brand with a focus on using sustainable materials. I love their focus on making simple, sleek vegan trainers. Whatever people say about white trainers being out of style, I think they never are – they match everything!
But if you hate white, they also have black, sand and other colors of sneaker.
Will’s vegan trainers
Why I love them: Will’s have everything from plain black trainers to road running and cross running traienrs
Wills is an all-vegan shoe company based in the UK. Originally founded as a men’s shoe brand (at a time when it was especially hard to find vegan men’s shoes), the vegan shoe store has since expanded into outerwear, women’s accessories and other vegan sustainable fashion.
They have a range of classic style sneakers, but also athletic sneakers too. My pick is the WVSport Oakes vegan athletic shoes, designed by three time world record holder and distance runner Fiona Oakes. They’re designed for her most extreme runs, from the Sahara desert to the North Pole.
New Balance (vegan options)
New Balance is one of the mainstream brands with the widest range of vegan shoes, but they’re not always very well-labelled, unfortunately. Make sure if you go in-store you can see the stickers which break down which materials are used. On their website they do have some filters, but you’ll need to read descriptions carefully because I’ve found sometimes they use elather in a small part of the shoe but list them under synthetics.
Their Fresh Foam X 860×14 is an example of one of their leather-free models. I also have a guide to vegan New Balance sneakers.
Minuit sur Terre vegan sneakers
Why I love them: all of Minuit sur Terre’s shoes are really stylish and cute – including their trainers!
One thing I’ve bemoaned over the years is how a lot of vegan shoes (sneakers and other styles) tend to either look very functional or orthopedic. Minuit sur Terre, a fully vegan French footwear brand, was one of the first I remember seeing and thinking “wow, these shoes are just beautiful, nothing else.”
I love that their trainers fall into the same camp too – comfortable, but also pretty.
Matt and Nat vegan sneakers
Matt + Nat is a well-known 100% vegan brand. They made their start making bags and accessories; in fact I didn’t even know they sold vegan shoes until recently! They were one of the early brands selling fashion-forward vegan bags.
I have a Matt + Nat wallet that’s almost 10 years old and I’m very impressed with its durability, so while I can’t speak to the shoes’ durability, their accessories are very durable.
Stella McCartney vegan trainers
Stella McCartney’s full designer range is vegetarian, like Stella herself, meaning none of the products contain leather or fur. Some of her clothing isn’t vegan as she uses wool and silk but all her shoes and bags are vegan!
Known for her platform sneakers, she makes a range of platform trainers and non-platform trainers, plus she has a collab of athletic wear made in collaboration with adidas.
As far as vegan sneaker brands go, you can’t get much more iconic than adidas by Stella McCartney – a major sneaker name and a major designer name together! These cool vegan sneakers take athleisure wear to a new level while also being eco conscious and made with recycled materials.
Cariuma (vegan options)
While not fully vegan, Cariuma has vegan options. It’s a sustainable Brazilian footwear brand that uses organic cotton and rubber for their vegan shoes. They also have an initiative of planting 10 trees for every sneaker purchased.
Their sneakers come in six different styles, from low cut to hi cut and slip on, plus a wide range of colours. Shipping is carbon neutral and it comes in recycled/recyclable packaging.
I have a pair and while the insole is extremely comfortable and seems great for walking, I find they rub against my toes in a really painful way. However, most reviewers state they’re really comfy with no breaking-in period so it might just be my feet.
NAE vegan sneakers
Nae is a Portuguese vegan footwear brand whose beautiful shoes I’ve always admired. In the last few years, they’ve branched out into sneakers and they have a range of stylish picks, both for men and women.
For their vegan eco friendly shoes they use organic cotton, cork, and for their vegan leather sneakers, either vegan leather and Piñatex (an eco-friendly alternative to leather made of discarded pineapple waste).
Veja (vegan options)
Veja sneakers became something of an ‘it’ some years ago, with many celebrities sporting them. While they’re not a totally vegan company, they do have vegan leather shoes in their range, and Veja vegan sneakers are fair trade and many use organic materials too.
This French brand prides themselves on supply chain transparency, paying workers a living wage and using organic cotton. Their sustainable vegan shoes are made using canvas, mesh, corn-coated cotton and a mix of bio-based materials like corn husks and sugarcane mixed with recycled materials.
Vegetarian Shoes
Vegetarian Shoes is one of the oldest vegan shoe companies in existence. This well-known vegan shoe brand was founded in the UK in 1990. They’ve vastly expanded their vegan shoe range recently, and have a wide range of cute and fashionable vegan sneakers.
Adidas
Adidas has now released several vegan-friendly sneakers, making it one of the most vegan-friendly mainstream brands. As far as Adidas vegan sneakers go, they’ve released vegan versions of classic Superstars. They’ve also created a vegan version of Stan Smiths. Just make sure you look for the vegan versions.
Adidas and famed vegetarian fashion designer Stella McCartney have also collaborated together. Like all of Stella’s shoes, they’re all vegan.
FAQ
What are vegan sneakers? What are vegan shoes made of?
Vegan sneakers, like the ones in this list, are sneakers made without any animal products, from leather uppers to animal glue used to hold the shoe together.
Beyond vegan food (not consuming animal products), ethical veganism is also about eschewing wearing or using animal products, including shoes.
Instead, vegan sneakers are made of canvas or vegan leather.
Are vegan shoes expensive?
No! There are lots of affordable vegan shoes (and expensive vegan designer shoes, too).
If you’re on a strict budget, lots of discount shoe stores have non leather shoes, though the glue may not always be vegan. (Although many companies are now using vegan glue these days because it’s inexpensive.)
Better yet, look secondhand, whether that’s in charity shops near you or online. eBay and secondhand apps like Depop and Vinted make it easy to search for vegan shoes, or even specific brands of vegan shoes.
Are vegan shoes more eco friendly than leather shoes?
You might have heard people say that vegan leather is plastic and therefore isn’t eco-friendly, and so you might be wondering if vegan shoes are eco-friendly.
The answer is that although polyurethane (PU), the most commonly used vegan leather alternative, is plastic, it’s still rated as more eco friendly than leather! That’s because of the land, water and energy it takes to raise animals, plus emissions.
Plus, most leather isn’t biodegradable because of the way it’s tanned. 90% of leather is tanned using chromium. According to Common Objective, chromium causes respiratory issues and raises cancer risk among those involved in the industry, some of whom are only ten years old.
As you can see, leather is not just bad for the environment, but also animals and the humans involved in the industry.
Are vegan shoes breathable?
There seems to be a misconception that vegan shoes aren’t as breathable as leather, but that isn’t true. This rumor probably started a few decades ago, back when PVC was commonly used in non-leather shoes (now it’s rarely used, and I recommend avoiding it because it’s not eco friendly – see above). PVC is very sweaty.
Thankfully, especially given how bad PVC is for the environment, it’s rarely used now.
This footwear site actually says synthetic materials are lighter weight and more breathable than leather.
Are vegan sneakers durable?
Durability, in my experience, varies wildly by brand (including in the non-vegan shoe market). Vegan shoes can last a long time – I’ve had some last me many years – while others have disappointed by falling apart quickly.
With all shoes, I recommend finding a good cobbler/shoe repair shop near you, and taking your shoes there for repairs or to be resoled. It greatly extends the life of your shoes – for example, I have a pair of boots I use heavily each winter which I’ve had re-soled every winter for the last 5 years! Some cobblers can’t re-sole trainers, while others can.
Of course, caring for your shoes helps too. Experts say rotating shoes can make them last longer, plus it’s better for your feet and tends to make them smell less. For more ideas and suggestions on how to make your shoes last longer, see this guide.
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Want more vegan sneaker inspo? Check out my guide to vegan Skechers. Love a white trainer? I have a guide to vegan white sneakers. Need other shoe styles? See my ultimate guide to all vegan shoes. I have guides to vegan womens shoes, and vegan mens shoes. I also have a guide to vegan New Balance sneakers.
Looking for a specific style? Find my guides to the best vegan boots, vegan mens boots, vegan clogs, vegan winter boots and vegan sandals. I also have a guide specific to vegan combat boots, and guides to vegan Chelsea boots, vegan cowboy boots, vegan knee high boots and vegan ankle boots.
If you need something for special occasions, I have guides to vegan dress shoes, vegan heels and vegan designer shoes too.
Looking for more vegan beauty & fashion? Find my vegan beauty & fashion section.
Don’t forget to pack your vegan sneakers on your next trip in your vegan luggage – you’ll need them for all the walking you do on your travels! Find my vegan city guides + destination guides.
For more vegan online shopping, find my vegan online shop directory here.
