Environmentally-friendly fashion is trending up – big time. With studies showing the fashion industry’s negative impact on the environment, along with an overall culture shift towards more intentional and thoughtful lifestyles, designers are adopting practices and materials to meet the growing demand for sustainable fashion, menstrual products, and shoes.
Our list of the best sustainable shoes for men and women includes a variety of gorgeous footwear from well-known brands and buzz-worthy start-ups. Between the “world’s most comfortable shoe,” sustainable sneakers made with innovative fabrics, and wow-worthy styles perfect for any and all activities and occasions, we’ve got it all.
And, before you think eco-friendly shoes can’t be completely fashionable, think again. These sustainable looks make “going green” the must-have style of the year. For all the coolest and most fashionable sustainable shoes available today, read on.
When people think of Allbirds, they think of the Wool Runners. Made from merino wool that’s ethically sourced from New Zealand, these shoes are soft, moisture-wicking, and ready for any and all activities. And, before you think wool is scratchy, think again. Allbirds’ shoes are anything but, and in fact, can actually be worn without socks.
Available in both men’s and women’s sizing, these are touted as the “world’s most comfortable shoe.” And, you know what? They are. As an owner of several pairs, I can tell you these shoes really are as comfortable as they say. They’re also machine washable and available in over a dozen standard and limited edition colors.
A leader in the sustainable shoes segment and movement, Allbirds specializes in making all kinds of footwear out of eco-friendly and sustainable materials. Things like merino wool, eucalyptus tree fiber, sugarcane, recycled plastic bottles, recycled cardboard, and castor bean oil, are all used in either the shoes construction or the packaging. By using wool, Allbirds actually cuts down on production energy by 60%.
Offering all kinds of style, the Baabuk Sky Wooler is one seriously awesome series of sustainable shoes. Available in a variety of awesome color combos, including this denim-inspired design, these shoes feature 100% wool uppers. Durable, flexible, and water-repellent on the outside, these shoes are cozy and itch-free on the inside. You can even wear them without socks.
Baabuk’s unique design matched with this gorgeous merino wool material helps keep your feet at the right temperature no matter the weather. Long considered one of the best sustainable materials in fashion, merino wool is biodegradable, long-lasting, natural wicking, and breathable.
Cariuma is a brand built on sustainability. From heel to toe, their shoes are constructed with intention, using materials that are environmentally-friendly and sustainable, and adopting innovative processes that create better, long-lasting products. The Cariuma IBI Low is a great example of those practices in action.
These sustainable sneakers are made from self-regenerating bamboo and recycled plastics for an unbelievably comfortable fit that’s also 40% lighter than traditional styles. Full disclosure: we’ve been testing out a pair of the IBI Low. We’ve been wearing them everywhere and can vouch: they are light, incredibly cute, and comfortable. What more could you want right now?
Featuring insoles made from memory foam, cork, and mamona oil, an outsole made from sugarcane, and laces made from recycled plastics, you won’t just feel lighter on your feet, but you’ll also leave behind a smaller footprint, too. Available in both men’s and women’s sizing and a variety of colors, they’re also available in a high-top design – totally fun. Check them out here.
The ALDO Rpplclear1a Sustainable Sneakers are both eco-friendly and stylish. A stunner from ALDO’s “Love Planet” Collection, these sneakers are available in sizes for both men and women, and, according to ALDO, they’re “recycled from top to bottom.”
Featuring foam insoles made from algae, EVA phylon midsoles, recycled polyester laces, and a recycled knit body made from 5 plastic bottles that otherwise would have been thrown away, these shoes are as sustainably cool as they come. Available in three colors and comfortable to wear, we know you’ll love rocking this sustainable footwear.
A leader in the current sustainable shoes movement, Allbirds is famous for making unbelievably comfortable shoes out of natural and eco-friendly materials. We’re featuring several of their styles on our list of the best sustainable sneakers because, well, they’re simply the best.
Released just a couple of years ago, the Tree Dasher is Allbirds’ first-ever designated running shoe. Made with natural materials and engineered for performance, these shoes feature a durable and breathable tree material upper and a supportive dual-density midsole made of sugarcane. Available in both men’s and women’s sizes, these shoes are also machine washable and are available in a variety of standard and limited edition colors.
Reebok believes “what we’re made of matters,” and so they started dabbling in the art of eco-friendly shoes a few years ago. Comfortable and stylish, these ethically-made shoes, called Women’s Forever Floatride GROW, are Reebok’s first-ever plant-based and sustainable sneakers.
Launched in 2019, these shoes are constructed with a eucalyptus upper, algae sock liner, a natural rubber outsole, and a midsole made of castor beans. And, because it’s Reebok, these sustainable shoes are also performance-focused and ready for whatever kind of run you have in mind.
Available Women’s sizes: 6 – 11; please refer to the size chart available online for your perfect fit before purchasing. Available Men’s sizes: 7 – 13; please refer to the size chart available online for your perfect fit before purchasing.
Simple, stylish, comfortable, sustainable – that’s Biankina’s way. A company that specializes in all-natural vegan shoes, these canvas slip-ons, named “Barcelona,” are 100% vegan and cruelty-free. No animal products are used in the construction, and no animal testing is done in the production, of these shoes.
Here’s something else that’s cool: there’s no glue or harmful chemicals used to bind everything together. Using an innovative vulcanization process, heat bonds the natural rubber and organic cotton upper together, creating a durable flexible silhouette.
Much like the other Cariuma styles on our list, the Cariuma OCA High is incredibly comfortable and cute. Handcrafted from cotton canvas upper and featuring a unique cap-toe design, these shoes breathe new life into a classically cool silhouette. As Cariuma says, “it’s the quintessential old-school look made with new-school ethics.”
Baabuk is a Swiss company specializing in wool shoes, wool sneakers, slippers, and more. Merino Wool is considered one of the most sustainable materials used in the fashion industry – it’s recyclable, renewable, and long-lasting. As the star of Baabuk’s designs, the wool shines through and hits all kinds of style points with us.
The Urban Wool Sneaker is available in a variety of colors and unisex sizes and is perfect for everyday wear. Feature a durable and flexible shape and no-tie design with elastic laces, these shoes are water-repellent and keep your feet at the right temperature no matter the weather. You can even wear them without socks.
The CATIBA Pro is a line of sustainable sneakers from Cariuma with an incredibly cool vibe. Engineered for durability, movement, and comfort, these sustainable shoes have that “board” feel – skateboards, surfboards, you name it – and don’t just feature the brand’s logo on the side, but also feature their best grip yet.
Designed with a cotton canvas upper and laces made from recycled bottles, these shoes also feature a sticky grip outsole made with raw natural gum rubber, insoles made from memory foam, cork, and mamona oil, as well as carved-in foxing around the shoe for added traction. Available in both men’s and women’s sizing and a variety of colors, they’re also available in a high-top design.
Not wool but just as cool, the Allbirds Tree Runners are made with responsibly sourced eucalyptus tree fiber for a breathable and silky-smooth sneaker. Available in both men’s and women’s sizing, these shoes are also machine washable and available in a variety of standard and limited edition colors.
The eucalyptus tree fiber in the Tree Runners, as well as the Tree Breezers, is a great example of how Allbirds uses “Nature” as their “Muse” and build on “her handiwork.” Sourced from South African farms that minimize fertilizer and rely on rainfall as opposed to irrigation, these trees actually cut down on water usage by 95% when compared to traditional materials like cotton, and end up cutting Albirds’ carbon footprint in half.
Available in a variety of styles and sizes for both men and women, VivoBareFoot’s line of sustainable shoes is varied enough to appeal to anyone. We’re currently featuring the Gobi Iii Eco, a stylish women’s vegan leather desert boot. Feminine and minimalist, this modern interpretation of this classic silhouette is versatile enough to be dressed up or casual.
VivoBareFoot makes sustainable sneakers, boots, and shoes perfect for outdoor activities and everyday life. Their footwear is designed to be wide, thin, and incredibly flexible. They strive to make shoes that are as close to the barefoot experience as possible, and per their website, their designs combine modern innovation with ancient wisdom to develop footwear that “consists of natural, biosynthetic and recycled material products of super minimalist design.”
They’ve also recently reduced the supply chain, cut waste, and work with more sustainable materials. They call it their “(re)new and improved footwear initiative.” We like it.
We’re game for anything called a “lounger” these days, aren’t you? With an easy slip-on design, the Allbirds Loungers are as cool and comfortable as they come. Made from ethically sourced merino wool from New Zealand, these shoes also feature insoles made from castor bean oil. They’re also available in men’s and women’s sizes, come in a variety of colors and are machine washable.
Here’s what we love in particular about this style: the minimalistic design. That’s one of the appeals of the Allbirds brand – with an intentionally understated look that lacks flashy colors and logos, these shoes go with everything.
What is LWG? It’s the Leather Working Group – an organization committed to the development and management of sustainable environmental practices within the leather industry. What’s ALDO’s CleanStep technology? It’s a 50/50 mix of virgin thermoplastic rubber and algae biomass, a material that not only helps clean and filter polluted water, but also keeps CO2 from entering the atmosphere.
Available in two colors including a gorgeous and muted “bone” (pictured), and black, these boots are perfect for any and all occasions.
Available sizes: 5 – 11; please refer to the size chart available online for your perfect fit before purchasing.
Having launched in March 2021, the Cariuma IBI Slip-On is the latest release from a brand built on sustainability. Boasted as the world’s lowest carbon footprint sneaker, the IBI Slip-On blends innovation and design for one chic look. Earning ISO 14067 Certification, this sustainable shoe has a carbon footprint of just 5.48kg CO₂e, which is three times fewer than the average pair of sustainable kicks. Pretty cool, huh? Through evaluating industry practices and well as their own, Cariuma worked with their ethical factory and third-party partners to eliminate as much waste as possible. Eco-friendly, comfortable, and completely cute, these are definitely some shoes to rock this year.
These sustainable sneakers are made from self-regenerating bamboo and recycled plastics. They also feature insoles made from memory foam, cork, mamona oil, and outsoles made from sugarcane.
