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Step out in these sustainable & ethical footwear brands

Step out in these sustainable & ethical footwear brands

Sustainable sandals by Nisolo, as featured on ZERRIN

Sustainable footwear; have you ever given it a thought? From sandals to sneakers, we’ve curated the best ethical shoe brands for different budgets and aesthetics.

When it comes to sustainability in the fashion industry, what we wear matters; right down to our shoes! If you’re looking for footwear companies to support that use more eco-friendly materials and fair trade practices, then read on!

From comfy trainers to run errands in your activewear to sleek silhouettes for work or an evening out, these brands create high quality staples you’ll want to rock again and again.

Muni Muni creates handcrafted shoes from the Philippines

1. Muni Muni

Muni Muni is a sustainable footwear brand from the Philippines that specialises in handcrafted shoes and accessories. Their affordable shoes are made from Abaca rope, also known as Manila hemp. They source the sustainable fibre from local farmers in rural areas of the Philippines. Then, local artisan communities hand-weave the shoes to make, celebrating both Filipino talent and craftsmanship. 

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Sustainable trainers by KIBO, available on ZERRIN

2. Kibo

Hong Kong brand Kibo, formerly Lacess, makes guilt-free sneakers from recycled materials. Their shoes are made from recycled leather, post-consumer plastics and natural materials. Best of all, their white sneakers are versatile and also comfortable. Additionally, they provide arch support and a layer of cork to wick away any moisture.

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Step of Grace is an ethical brand makes woven shoes from natural materials

 

3. Step of Grace

Step of Grace hand-makes all their shoes in small to medium production houses in Indonesia. They source all their materials locally. Their shoes are made of leather, thus making them comfortable and lasting. The brand also plants a tree for every product sold, helping to reforest parts of Borneo and the Amazon rainforest. 

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Indosole fashions shoes, slippers, slip-ons and sandals from old rubber tyres.

4. Indosole

A certified B Corp, Indosole repurposes rubber tyres into shoes. They source their tyres from landfills, mechanic garages, and gutters from Indonesia. So far, they have saved 80,000 tyres from landfills! Since they’re made of tyres, their flip flops and slides similarly feature grip and durability.

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Veja sneakers use recycled and upcycled materials like corn and plastic bottles

5. Veja

Sustainable footwear label Veja is well-known for its sleek, minimalist sneakers with the iconic ‘V’ on the sides. The shoes are made with high-quality recycled materials, organic cotton, and sustainably-sourced leather. The brand also employs innovative techniques to upcycle materials such as corn and plastic bottles into fabric for their shoes. 

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Nisolo designs carbon-neutral clogs, flats, heels, and wedges with a circular fashion approach.

6. Nisolo

Nisolo makes sustainable footwear with a 0% net carbon commitment. The brand believes in a circular fashion approach, thus they use recycled and upcycled materials in their designs. They have also launched a Shoe Reclamation Program to divert their shoes from landfills. One of the main reasons the brand started was to provide living wages for workers. They do so by personally questioning their shoemakers their expenses for both themselves and their family. 

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Beyond Skin ethical luxury designer vegan leather shoes and heels

7. Beyond Skin

Don’t be fooled by the name, Beyond Skin actually makes designer vegan shoes. The brand uses post-consumer cardboard and vegan leather made from PU, which not only negates the need for livestock, but is also less energy-intensive than using real leather. Their shoes are trans-seasonal, timeless, elegant, and offer a vintage-inspired aesthetic.

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Caruima sneakers from natural raw materials like bamboo

8. Cariuma

Cariuma empowers their customers to choose quality over quantity by embracing personal style. Their sneakers are made from raw materials like bamboo, natural rubber, and sugar cane. Half of their products are also 100% vegan, and they are working on growing that percentage. Additionally, they plant two trees for every pair sold!

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Marais USA designs ethical luxury shoes and heels

9. Marais USA

Marais USA makes shoes that are effortlessly elegant, simple, and still affordable. Just like the name suggests, their shoes are a mix of the effortless Parisian style and the New York practicality. They produce in a factory in LA, less than a mile away from their warehouse. Thus, this helps to decrease their carbon footprint by limiting the distance the shoes travel. 

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Etiko is a fair trade ethical Australian label that designs sneakers and ensure labour rights

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A girl unwinding listening to sustainable fashion podcasts

10. Etiko

Etiko, derived from the Greek word for ethical, is an Australian fair-trade certified brand. Thus, the brand commits to ensuring labour rights in their supply chain. They work closely with partners all over Asia who they source from and manufacture, in order to help them grow their businesses and support their communities.

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Coclico is a French ethical sustainable footwear brand with a pre-loved trade in program

11. Coclico

Coclico, meaning “Poppy Flower” in French, aims to make shoes that are conscious, artful, and elegant. Their shoes are crafted sustainably in Spain, pairing style with comfort. The brand also offers a “Pre-Loved” program, where customers get to trade in shoes and find designs from previous collections to breathe a second life into.

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Po-zu employs sustainable innovative methods to make sneakers from raw natural materials like cork and pineapple

12. Po-zu

Po-zu believes in creating footwear that is healthy for your feet, kind to the environment, and safe for all workers. The brand uses innovative materials to make their shoes, such as pineapple, apple, cork, and linen. Their shoes also feature a revolutionary Foot Mattress, made from coconut fibres, that is breathable, moulds to the shape of your feet, eliminates pressure points, and offers support. 

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Rafa works with artisans in LA to make fun and flirty heels and shoes

13. Rafa

Rafa is a luxury sustainable footwear brand that features smart and timeless designs. They work with 20 artisans in Los Angeles who handcraft their shoes with eco-friendly materials, such as recycled materials. This also helps to limit the amount of chemicals, waste water, and water used in production.

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Thousand Fell Brazil full-circle circularity sneakers with sustainable materials

14. Thousand Fell

Thousand Fell aims to design full-circle simple everyday footwear. The brand sources materials with lower water and carbon footprints, such as aloe vera, castor beans, and natural rubber. They source them as close to their factory in Brazil as possible. Their designs are also easily biodegradable and recyclable. Thus, they run a recycling program where they take in old shoes and recycle them into materials for new shoes.

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