Vegan leather boots are an absolute staple in my closet. Of all the styles of shoes, I think winter boots are my favourite. And as a vegan of over 17 years, non-leather boots are a must!
I wear mine most days in the winter, and yes, they’re just as durable as leather shoes (I wore one pair of black vegan ankle boots for nearly a decade every winter till I finally decided to try a different style!). The key to long-lasting vegan boots are to buy good quality, and take care of them (I re-soled and re-heeled mine annually).
Since I’ve been vegan so long, I know it isn’t always easy to find vegan boots that are high quality and look good – so I’ve put together some of my favourite vegan boots here to help you out. These are all from brands I know and trust (although I haven’t tried every style – some are still on my wishlist!).
-Insulated & waterproof
-Trusted, 100% vegan brand
-Pairs perfectly with dresses and skirts
-100% vegan brand
-Comfortable style
-100% vegan French shoe brand
-Made of eco-friendly vegan corn leather
-Pairs with everything
-Vegan brand
-Lace-up
-Made of sustainable vegan cactus leather
-Grip treads for winter
-100% vegan barefoot brand
Best vegan leather boots
These are my top picks of vegan boots right now. I update this list every winter with my favourite finds! Personally, I’m mostly wearing my ankle boots right now as I find them the most versatile, but I also love my over the knee boots with dresses in winter (they look good and keep me so warm!). Knee high/over the knee boots are in this season, as are chunky styles (not my personal fave but I see a lot of chunky, combat-style boots around so I’ve included a few vegan combat boots below!). Plus, I’ve shared how I’d style them.
V.Gan knee high boots
Incorporating two trends of the season (knee high boots are in, and so are slouchy styles) – anyone who says vegan shoes can’t be fashionable is wrong!
While I haven’t owned any V.Gan shoes yet, I’ve heard great things about the brand – and they’re entirely vegan, as the name implies.
How I’d style them: with a knee length shift dress and 40 denier black tights.
Will’s vegan Chelsea boots
No boot list would be complete without some form of Chelsea boot.
These are the men’s insulated waterproof boots (the women’s are identical, just in women’s sizes) and they’re a classic Chelsea. They’re got a slightly chunky lug sole, which matches most boots I’ve seen this season (personally I’m not a fan of a lug sole on myself, so I spent a lot of time finding a sleeker pair of boots, but if you look good in a chunky sole you’re in luck this year!).
How I’d style them: with bootcut or straight leg jeans and a bright jumper.
Bohema vegan corn leather cowboy boots
Cowboy boots are on-trend and no cows were harmed in the making of this pair! I love the stitch detailing and the fact they’ve used eco-friendly vegan corn leather, made from corn waste. They have a very practical 2cm (3/4-inch) heel, which is perfect for walking IMO.
How I’d style it: jeans would be classic – but possibly too predictable – so I’d pair it with shorts and tights.
Minuit sur Terre lace up vegan boots
I love that these lace up boots also have a side zip – making it so much easier to get them on. Lace-up boots are a practical and stylish option, especially if you have any fit issues (I have narrow heels and find it helps being able to adjust how tight shoes are). I love the cute gold detailing above the laces on these boots too.
Minuit sur Terre is a great brand for vegan shoes – they were the first vegan shoe brand in France and I’ve loved the pairs I’ve owned from them!
How I’d style it: lace-up black boots like these are great for dressing down a floaty, romantic dress.
Minuit sur Terre vegan leather ankle boots
I love these sleek black vegan leather ankle boots because a) ankle boots pair with anything and b) they’ll instantly make legs look longer, especially paired with sheer black tights. I love Minuit’s vegan shoe range, and usually they add little details like gold buckles or similar which is part of their charm. But for these boots, they’ve opted to keep them very minimalist – which I also love, as it means they’ll match everything.
How I’d style it: These are crying out for a dress paired with sheer black tights. Personally I’d go for a bright dress, as I think there’s nothing more cheering in winter than a bright dress on a grey, overcast day.
Bohema cactus leather vegan work boots
These boots are for the chunky boot lovers amongst you! Personally chunky shoes don’t suit me, but if I went for work boot-style boots these are what I’d go for. (Btw, these are what I’d call work boot-inspired, but not meant for actual heavy duty working where you’d need a steel-capped toe – if you do need those, I recommend these Vegetarian Shoes vegan steel toe safety boots, which are slip-resistant breathable and have 2mm steel toes.)
How I’d style it: I don’t think you can go wrong with a mini skirt and chunky black boots.
Feelgrounds vegan barefoot winter boots
I love Feelgrounds – they’re an all-vegan barefoot shoe brand and I own these boots, their Chelsea boots, their sandals and trainers. If you’re not familiar with barefoot shoes, they have a wider toebox than standard shoes which they say follows natural foot shapes, and usually have a very thin, flexible sole. These winter boots have the least thin sole of any barefoot shoes I’ve seen and that’s what makes it special – unlike most barefoot shoes, you won’t freeze during winter in these!
They have a thick, fleece lining as well to keep your feet toasty, they’re waterproof, and they also have a grippy sole (another rarity in the barefoot shoe world), meaning you won’t slide in the winter wno and rain. These are my winter dog-walking boots.
How I’d style it: Given I wear these to walk the dog, I usually just pair them with whatever I throw on to walk Benito in the morning – leggings or cord trousers. I’d suggest pairing these with wide-legged or bootcut trousers – I found if I pair them with a dress and tights it looks odd and emphasises the wide toe box (aka the barefoot “clown shoe” effect).
Best brands for vegan boots
If you’re looking for vegan/vegan-friendly boots to browse, these are some tried and tested brands I love:
Will’s
A long-running vegan shoe brand,
Immaculate Vegan
Immaculate Vegan isn’t a shoe brand but rather a marketplace (similar to ASOS but all vegan) and it’s always my first port of call when I’m searching for vegan boots, shoes or bags. They have many dozens of different brands, and only stock vegan fashion, prioritising ethics, sustainability and style.
Stella McCartney
If you’re looking for designer vegan boots, then Stella is the obvious choice. I’ve long admired Stella McCartney; one of the first mainstream designers to showcase vegan footwear, she sticks to her vegetarian ethics (note – she uses wool and silk in some of her clothing so the brand is vegetarian, not vegan, but all footwear is vegan!). I love her fashion-forward, runway-style designs – if not the price tags!
Bhava
They’re based in the US, so I’ve not had a chance to try Bhava’s boots, but everyone raves about how comfortable they are – and I think they look really cute in the photos too!
NAE
A long-standing vegan Portuguese shoe brand, I have loved the NAE shoes I’ve owned over the years. Their shoes are a great balance of style, comfort and affordability.
Minuit sur Terre
I always recommend this vegan French footwear brand to friends, it’s one of my favourites! I love their shoes – I find them really comfortable and also very cute. They’re all vegan and they use a lot of eco-friendly materials, but also add lovely extra touches like decorative clasps and buckles, that really make the shoes look special IMO.
Doc Martens
Love ’em or hate ’em, DMs are classics – and they’ve made vegan leather versions of some of the most popular styles for years. Personally I’m in the “ouch these shoes are too stiff” camp, but for those whose feet suit them, I’ve always heard they’re incredibly comfortable post breaking-in period *and* will last for years and years.
Feelgrounds
The only entirely vegan barefoot shoe brand I know of, I love Feelgrounds shoes for comfort and for looking a bit less obviously barefoot compared to other barefoot brands. My only complaint – but this is across the board for all barefoot shoes I’ve tried – is they don’t last that long. The thin and flexible soles required for barefoot shoes never seem to last as long as normal shoe soles! Otherwise, barefoot perfection.
Vegetarian Shoes
One of the oldest (if not the oldest) vegan shoe brands around, Vegetarian Shoes know what they’re doing. They may not always have the most stylish of shoes, but they’re incredibly durable and well-constructed. They’re best if you want quite chunky boots like lace-ups or steel toe work boots.
FAQ
How are vegan boots made?
Vegan boots are made using all vegan materials – that means they don’t contain any animal products, like leather, fur or wool. Instead, they use animal-free alternatives such as canvas or vegan leather.
They may use synthetic materials such as PU (polyurethane) vegan leather, or some vegan brands use a newer vegan alternative, like vegan cactus leather or pineapple leather.
How is vegan leather made?
There are many different kinds of vegan leather. Polyurethane/PU leather, for example, is one of the most common materials and is made of thermoplastic.
In recent years, more sustainable options have been invented, including pineapple leather and apple leather. These are made from discarded waste from the food industry.
For pineapple leather, pineapple leaves (which would otherwise have been thrown away) are collected and processed into fibres, which are then made into mesh and finished. You can read more about the process here.
How can I find inexpensive vegan boots?
To find boots at the best price, keep an eye on the brands listed here for sale times – but be quick.
Often you can also find leather-free boots at discount stores (I’ve found them in TKMaxx/TJMaxx, for example), but it can be hard to tell if they use vegan glue.
Or better yet, shop secondhand – on sites like eBay, you can search for vegan shoes.
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I have more guides to specific styles of vegan boots, including:
Want to see more vegan shoes? See my ultimate guide to all the best vegan shoe brands. I also have guides to vegan sneakers, sandals, and heels.
Find all my vegan beauty & fashion posts.
