Are you on the hunt for the best sustainable men’s shoes and sneakers in 2024? Here’s a list of the most comforable and stylish eco men’s shoes from ethical footwear brands.
Our Guide to the Best Sustainable Men’s Shoe Brands
If you didn’t know, there’s a problem in the fashion industry and its called fast fashion. From unethical practices to millions of pounds of trash being dumped into landfills daily, to creating more and more waste in the production process, to polluting the air with C02, something has to change! Yet, still to this day, 23 billion pairs of shoesare made every year and 22 billion are thrown into landfill. Plus, In the US alone, every year in the US, people throw away over 300 million pairs of shoes.
So who made most of these easily replacable shoes? As outlined in an Oxfam report, the fast fashion industry relies on the labor of over 60 million individuals. The majority, exceeding 15 million workers, are located in Asia, with a noteworthy proportion of over 80% being women. These women are frequently young and hail from economically disadvantaged rural backgrounds. Garment workers are often forced to work 14 to 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. Even the European Parliament is using the term “slave labour” to describe the current working conditions of garment workers in Asia.
While many apparel companies have jumped on t he slow, sustainable fashion, the shoe industry has been a little slower to conform. That’s why it’s SO important to support these brands that are making sustainable and vegan shoes that are changing the world as we know it.
These sustainable shoe brands have taken more than a few steps in the right direction. And that’s all it takes, a few steps for a lot of people, and suddenly massive change is on the horizon. Looking to reduce your carbon footprint but don’t know where to start?
Read on if you want to rock eco men’s shoes!
What are sustainable shoes for men?
Sustainable shoe brands prioritize ethical manufacturing processes, ensuring fair labor practices, safe working conditions, and fair wages for workers. Certifications from ethical standards organizations may indicate a commitment to responsible production. Eco-friendly men’s shoes are crafted responsibly from friendly materials such as organic cotton, recycled polyester, Tencel, hemp, and responsibly sourced leather alternatives. Brands may even opt for recycled or upcycled materials to reduce the demand for new resources.
What’s more, long-lasting and durable designs contribute to sustainability by reducing the frequency of replacements. Shoes that withstand wear and tear promote a circular fashion approach, where products have a longer lifespan. Lastly, sustainable men’s shoe brands extend their commitment to eco-friendliness by using packaging made from recycled materials or adopting minimalist packaging approaches to minimize waste.
For more fair trade, organic and sustaiable men’s shoes options check out the:
Eco Men’s Shoes | The Complete List
1. Saola Shoes
Price Range: $40 – $100
Sustainable Materials: PET, Organic Cotton, Hemp, Cork, Algae Foam
Saola created these shoes with three intentions. Make them comfortable, casual, and with as many recycled materials as possible. Why is this so important? Well, every year, about 25,000 pairs of shoes are made, and almost none are made sustainably and ethically.
Saola is creating the change they want to see! One style worth sharing is one of their newest styles. It is a sneaker boot, and it’s something special! The Baikal shoe is super light and super versatile. It comes in chocolate and grey. They are also multipurpose! They look great for out to dinner, or even a hike!
2. Allbirds
Price: $98
Sustainable Materials: Ethically Farmed Merino Wool, Recycled Plastic, Castor Bean Oil, Recycled Cardboard
Allbirds is inspired by nature and their shoes show of her handiwork, heroing either ethically farmed Merino wool, or eucalyptus fibers.
Allbirds is committed to reversing their impact through sustainable practices, sustainable materials, tracking their consumption, and holding themselves accountable to find and use better ways of doing things.
3. 8000Kicks
Price: $120
Sustainable Materials: Cannabis Hemp Fibers, Recycled Shoes, Natural Cork
Hemp is also known as the sober cousin of marijuana and is also really freaking strong. So strong, they decided to make a shoe out of it! From top to bottom, Dopekicks makes 100% vegan shoes! The best part is they have invented the first ever waterproof hemp. These kicks have adventure written all over them.
According to the reviews, they fit like a glove, are really really comfortable, and super durable. One of the most innovative things that Dopekicks does is take old shoe soles and recycled them by breaking them down and recreating new soles for their own shoes.
We hear a lot about recycled materials being used, but using old shoes to make new shoes, is indeed, pretty dope. Each shoe sold saves about 100g of an old shoe, 72% less CO2 than the average shoe, and 70% less water.
4. Oaka Studio
Price Range: $165
Sustainable Materials: Vegan material
OAKAs are completely machine washable making them ready for travel and any adventure.
They chose to have their shoe knit instead of cut which dramatically helps reduce production waste as there is dramatically less leftover material.
5. Patara Shoes
Price Range: $98 – $140
Sustainable Materials:Indigo-Dyed Handwoven Cotton from Thailand, Recycled PET, Natural Cork and Recycled PU Foam
Patara Shoes are shoes to be worn from beach to bar! Timeless, authentic, and simple designs with a purpose to create great quality, innovation, and sustainability. Values are important when deciding on production methods and materials which is why the Co-founders decided to use fair trade. Some of the items used are natural cork, natural jute, and organic rubber! Check ’em out below
6. Psudo
Price:$128
Sustainable Materials:REPREVE, Recycled Plastic Bottles
Sustainable materials, slip-on materials, American made – Psudo bucks the wasteful trend of traditional shoe manufacturers, giving a thumbs-up to eco-friendly sneakers made right in the USA. Their water-resistant shoes are made from recycled plastic bottles, utilizing REPREVE technology and Sorbtek fibers to wick moisture and keep your feet feeling dry – and your conscience feeling good.
7. Third Mind
Price: $125
Sustainable Materials: Clarino® Tirrenina™, Recycled Rubber Soles, Recycled Fabric Upper.
Third Mind is all about ingenuity and integrity, forever pursuing more responsible performance through their sustainably sourced materials and high-performance (and stylish) designs. Third Mind relentlessly transcends Trendy by reimagining classic shoe silhouettes, while prioritizing comfort and sustainability.
The used Clarino® Tirrenina™ in most of their shoes, a non-woven, odor-wicking microfiber. Simply using this fabric reduces water waste by 70%, reduces CO2 emissions by 35%, making for an unequivocally eco-friendly shoe, ever time. Third Mind rubber soles are made from 30% recycled plastic, and 100% of their woven uppers are recycled, 30% of which are recycled plastic.
8. Cariuma
Price Range: $68 – $180
Sustainable Materials: Self Regenerated Bamboo and Recycled Plastic, Cork, Green Eva from Sugarcane
Cariuma shoes are made entirely from the earth and are lighter than air! The mineral blue knit is one of the most popular styles for a good reason. They are 100% vegan, stylish, and machine washable! The best part is that they’ve made production and shipping carbon neutral! So you can feel good about the shoes on your feet! One style worth noting is the knits. They come in so many colors, and they give purpose to every step.
9. Matt & Nat
Price Range: $80 – $200
Sustainable Materials: Recycled Nylons, Cardboard, Rubber and Cork
Mat & Nat stands for Materials & Nature because that’s what this brand was founded on. This vegan brand is a huge role model for all sustainable companies. Not only are they cruelty-free, but they are also a great brand that hosts vegetarian potlucks for their employees, encourage upcycling, and volunteer often.
On to the shoes, they also do that really well! Our favorite shoe of theirs is the Hail Chelsea boot. Made of Faux Suede and a rubber outsole. They pair well with jeans or slacks & match just about anything!
10. Fair
Price Range: $150 – $200
Sustainable Materials: Chemical Free Italian microfiber, Faux Fur, Rubber
The name says it all. These vegan shoes are made in Portugal and are completely animal and cruelty-free. To add, all the workers in the Portugal factory are treated ethically, and sustainable materials are used throughout the whole process.
Fair makes great dress shoes as well as casual and working boots. One of our favorite boots they make is the Walker boot. The grey and brown multitone outer ensure they match, well, just about everything! These boots are great for fall & winter and pair great with jeans or straight pants.
11. Adelante Shoes Co.
Price Range: $125-$265 Sustainable Materials: vegetable tanned leather
Adelante Shoes Co. is an ethical shoe company based in Massachusetts. They offer a line of comfortable and sturdy shoes that will last years. They are committed to enriching the lives of those who work for them by paying a living wage, providing affordable health care, and offering an employee stock ownership plan.
Adelante Shoes Co. also donates 50% of net profits every year to organizations working for social justice in their communities. This winter they donated $2,500 to the Samaritan House in Boston and $1,000 to Tia’s Place in Lawrence. Adelante is currently hosting its annual fundraiser for Partners In Health (PIH) where each pair of shoes sold is matched with a donation from Adelante Shoes Co.
12. Nothing New
Price: $95 Sustainable Materials: Recycled plastic, Recycled Fish Nets, Recycled Cotton
Sustainable products and sustainable practices are non-negotiable for Nothing New. And as the name suggests, they make their products from all recycled materials. Their uppers and laces are made of 100% recycled plastic. The Men’s Low Top is our favorite. They have that classic sneaker look, multiple colors to choose from, and each pair of shoes saves 5.6 plastic water bottles and roughly 160 gallons of water!
13. Nae Vegan Shoes
Price: $95 Sustainable Materials: Pinatex, Organic Cotton, Cork, Vegan Leather, Recycled PET
Nae makes shoes, sneakers, sandals, and boots. The name “Nae” stands for No Animal Exploitation. This Portuguese vegan footwear brand uses ethical and sustainable practices throughout their supply chain. One of their most unique shoes is their Peta Desert Boots. This stylish boot vs. shoe collab is guaranteed to turn heads, no matter where you’re walking!
14. Brave Gentleman
Price: $95 Sustainable Materials: Future Wool, Future Leather, Future Silk, Organic Cotton, Corzo
Paper MAG said BGM has “just about everything a mindful fashionista could want,” and we couldn’t agree more! Brave Gentlemen has always done big things! They were the FIRST vegan lifestyle menswear brand in the world! They make everything, but let’s focus on the footwear.
Their Weekend Sneaker High-Top is our favorite sneaker boot crossover we’ve found. For the minimalist man will find these super convenient because they go great with jeans, slacks, pants, and most likely any other bottoms you own!
15. Veja Shoes
Price: $100 – $150 Sustainable Materials: Organic Cotton, Wild Rubber from the Amazon, Vegetable-Tanned Leather and Recycled Plastic Bottles.
Okay, you’ve probably seen Veja Shoes in just about all our blog posts, but can you blame us? Veja shoes don’t just look good; they look REALLY good. These fashion sneaks are competing with some of the biggest sneaker companies in the game! Veja has a full vegan shoes line, but all of their shoes are made with as much sustainable materials as possible! We love the V-10 White Nautico Pekin. A solid white shoe with a bit of red and blue accent colors that hit just right!
16. Po-Zu
Price: $75 – $150 Sustainable Materials: Linen, Pinatex, Organic Cotton, Wool, Cork, Chrome-Free Leather, Coir, Natural Latex
Hey Star Wars lovers, this brand has an entire Star Wars collection! This collection features shoes and boots inspired by the Star Wars saga’s iconic characters, Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron. If you’re not into Star Wars, Po-Zu also creates some aesthetically pleasing vegan shoes. You have to check out their awesome sneakers and boots. One of our favorites is the Sneak V. Awesome for a casual outing or day-to-day. You’ll look stylish, every step you take!
17. Greats
Price Range: $80 – $200 Sustainable Materials: Plastic Water Bottles
A Brooklyn born company committed to sustainable shoes. These shoes are handmade from start to finish. Greats Shoes are made with love. It taking several days to craft one pair of shoes. Greats create stylish low-top and hightop sneakers. There are multiple colorways for all styles. Our favorite style is the Royal Knit collection. They are durable, sleek, and save seven plastic water bottles in the making!
18. Vivobarefoot
Price Range: $100 – $180 Sustainable Materials: Recycled Plastic Bottles, Algae, Susterra Propanediol
Vivobarefoot creates shoes for the most natural foot, the barefoot. At first, they got pushback that their shoes were too thin, too wide. They followed the feet, not the rules, and ultimately created a really awesome running shoe that puts sustainability and feet first. We love the Primus Trail FG Men’s. It’s an offroad sneaker that allows you to have that offroad feel with a barefoot sensation.
19. Flamingo Life
Price Range: $100 – $200 Sustainable Materials: Natural Rubber, Organic Cotton, Plastic Water Bottles
Flamingo Life gets it. The fashion industry is the second most polluting industry on the planet and their here to combat that by helping you reduce your carbon footprint. They create shoe collections that directly impact a certain environmental problem.
The two main problems they are combatting are reforestation and cleaning our oceans. For every pair sold from the Rancho collection, they plant 5 trees. You also recycled 2 plastic water bottles from the ocean every time you buy a shoe from the Roland V.2 collection.
Thus far, they have planted 121,128 trees, and recycled 17,779 plastic bottles. Our favorite shoe is the Roland V.2 Tricolor Ivory. They are casual sneakers with a neutral color tone. They pair well with chinos, corduroy pants, joggers, and jeans.
20. Hey Dude
Price Range: $40 – $100 Sustainable Materials: PET, Bamboo, Cork, Coconut Oil, Repurposed Farm Flexwood
Hey Dude was founded by two men, Wally and Vinci in Italy. Soon, it became a worldwide sustainable shoe brand built on affordability, comfort, and style. This innovative company created it all from slip-ons, boots, sandals, water shoes, and more!
The best part is they are all sold at an affordable price point. One of our favorites shoes is the Jax Sandal. It provides maximum comfort with the oversized sole and memory foam. Great for the beach, the grocery store, or to a casual dinner.
Another one of our favorite shoes is the Wally Canvas slip-on. These slip-ons are so comfortable; they are often described as “walking on clouds.” They are flexible and breathable, with a removable insole to support comfort and reduce odors.
21. Ahimsa
Price Range: $100 – $200 Sustainable Materials: Nylon, Vegan Leather, Natural Cork, Rubber
Ahimsa means “not to injure” in Sanskrit, which is the language of yoga. Ahimsa lives by this philosophy. They have no interest and harming animals or the world in the making of their shoes. They are so passionate about this philosophy, they went as far as to open their own factory.
This factory still remains the only vegan factory in the entire world! They strive for truth, transparency, and love in everything they do, and we think they’re doing a pretty great job! Ahimsa makes loafers, boots, slip-ons, casual shoes and more! One of our favorite shoes that Ahimsa has made is the Jeffrey boot.
They were inspired by hiking boots but made for more casual occasions. They pair well with jeans and tapered pants. You will leave you looking sharp every step of the way, we promise.
22. Ekn
Price Range: $150 – $300 Sustainable Materials: Bio Cotton, Vegetable Tanned Calfskin Leather, Vegan Suede, Organic Cotton
The Ekn founder was looking for shoes that were not harmful to the earth and to the people involved in making them. When he couldn’t find them, he decided to make his own. Alas, Ekin was birthed. Ekin shoes are handcrafted in Portugal with sustainable and organic materials.
There are no harmful chemicals used in the manufacturing process. Style is definitely not sacrificed in the making of Ekn shoes. Our favorite style is the Larch Sneaker. These handmade shoes have a retro-future look that will keep heads turning with every step. If you prefer vegan shoes, you can get them made vegan too!
Sustainable men’s shoes FAQ
Are sustainable shoes good?
Absolutely, sustainable shoes are a positive choice for both consumers and the environment. These shoes are crafted with a focus on minimizing their ecological footprint throughout their lifecycle. Sustainable footwear often involves the use of eco-friendly materials, ethical manufacturing processes, and a commitment to reducing environmental impact. By choosing sustainable shoes for men, consumers contribute to a more responsible and conscious fashion industry, promoting practices that prioritize environmental and social well-being.
What shoe material is best for the environment?
When it comes to environmental considerations, materials such as organic cotton, recycled polyester, and innovative alternatives like Tencel or Piñatex stand out as eco-friendly choices for shoe production. Organic cotton reduces the environmental impact associated with conventional cotton farming, while recycled polyester repurposes plastic waste. Tencel, derived from sustainably sourced wood pulp, offers a biodegradable option. Piñatex, made from pineapple leaf fibers, provides a cruelty-free alternative to traditional leather. Opting for sustainable men’s shoes made from these materials supports a more sustainable and planet-friendly footwear industry.
What makes a men’s sneaker sustainable?
A sustainable men’s sneaker incorporates various elements that contribute to its eco-friendly profile. This includes the use of environmentally conscious materials, such as recycled or upcycled fabrics and ethically sourced leather alternatives. Additionally, sustainable sneakers often involve energy-efficient manufacturing processes, reduced water consumption, and a commitment to fair labor practices. Brands that prioritize durability and timeless design over fast fashion trends also contribute to sustainability, as long-lasting sneakers decrease the frequency of replacements, reducing overall environmental impact. Overall, a sustainable men’s sneaker embodies a holistic approach that considers the environmental, social, and ethical aspects of its production.
In Conclusion
Stepping out of your comfort zone is never easy. All these sustainable men’s shoe brands are carving the path to the future. One step a time, we can make the world a greener place.
Want to shop some of the most revolutionary companies? IndieGetup makes it easier for you to have access to clothing with a conscience. Click here to visit more brands we love that are creating a greener future.
About Author
Brandon
Owner of IndieGetup, the premier sustainable marketplace for men to shop ethically.
