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We’ve worn and loved shoes from sustainable brands for a decade — these are our top picks for vegan shoes at a range of prices.

Leather has long been a go-to material for shoes, but a growing movement is pushing for footwear made without animal-derived materials. Each year, the global leather industry uses products from more than a billion animals to make fashion goods, and leather production can also raise concerns about chemical use, waste, labor conditions, and environmental impact. For shoppers who want to step away from animal leather, vegan shoes offer another way to think about what goes into the shoes we wear every day.

And vegan doesn’t have to mean sacrificing style, comfort, or longevity. Today, brands are experimenting with everything from recycled textiles and plant-based materials to innovative leather alternatives, creating shoes that look and feel just as considered as their traditional counterparts. Some are also rethinking how shoes are made altogether, from responsible manufacturing and fair-wage jobs to lower-impact materials and more thoughtful production practices.

Our criteria:

We’ve spent the past decade researching, wearing, and corresponding with sustainable footwear brands to find shoes that are better for people, animals, and the planet. For this guide, we looked specifically for vegan and cruelty-free shoes that don’t sacrifice comfort or style. We regularly update this piece with new brands and styles that meet the standards below.

• VEGAN & CRUELTY-FREE | Every brand on this list offers vegan footwear made without animal leather or other animal-derived materials. We’ve also looked at each brand’s materials and manufacturing practices to better understand its approach to cruelty-free footwear.
• COMFORTABLE | Vegan shoes should be comfortable enough to actually live in. We’ve personally worn shoes when possible, researched materials and construction, and scoured customer reviews to find styles that offer the support and comfort you want for everyday wear.
• THOUGHTFULLY MADE | Vegan doesn’t automatically mean sustainable. We look for brands using lower-impact, recycled, plant-based, or otherwise thoughtfully sourced materials, along with more responsible manufacturing practices where possible.
• A RANGE OF PRICES | Vegan footwear can range from affordable everyday styles to more expensive investment pieces. We’ve included options at different price points so you can find a pair that works for your wardrobe and budget.

If you want to incorporate more vegan goods into your wardrobe, check out our guide to vegan handbags as well!

1. Rothy’s

Best For | Vegan clogs and loafers
Ethics | Vegan, recycled & sustainable materials, ethically made
Price Range | $119–$249

Rothy’s believes in doing things better. Using recycled plastic, natural rubber, and algae-based foam, these sustainable shoes have the lightest footprint around- carbon footprint, that is. Plus, they’re fully machine-washable! Rothy’s is on a mission to be zero-waste, setting ambitious sustainability goals that embody what it means to be cruelty- and waste-free.

2. Matt & Nat

Best For | Everyday heels & sandals
Ethics | Vegan, fair wages, eco-friendly materials
Price Range | $90–$250

Matt & Nat believes in living beautifully and mindfully, crafting vegan shoes with synthetic leathers made from recycled windshield glass resin, recycled plastic bottles, and cork. The result is cruelty-free shoes that will live in your wardrobe for years to come. We love the wide range of vegan shoes, from comfortable everyday heels to vegan sneakers you can wear all around town. We admire Matt & Nat’s commitment to transparent, ethical practices.

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3. SeaVees

Best For | Waterproof clogs
Ethics | Vegan, recycled natural rubber, strict ethical labor standards, gives back to The Ecology Center, 1% for the planet
Price Range | $80

For a brand crafting vegan shoes in small batches, look no further than SeaVees and their recently launched natural rubber clog inspired by foragers, growers, makers, and foodies. Made from recycled rubber with a feel-good soft knit lining, these clogs are waterproof and perfect for enjoying nature. We especially love that the brand donates 10 percent of sales from this style to The Ecology Center, a Regenerative Organic Certified™ farm and education center that serves as a hub for Southern California’s ecological movement. In addition to the clogs, SeaVees makes vegan sneakers, boots, and slippers for men, women, and children.

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4. Thousand Fell

Best For | Classic sneakers
Ethics | Vegan, responsibly sourced materials, 1% for the Planet, recycling program, gives back
Price Range | $125–$135 (+$20 recycling deposit)

Thousand Fell is a vegan sneaker brand so committed to eliminating fashion waste that they started a recycling buy-back program called SuperCircle. This experiential recycling program pays customers to participate in their circular economy, with the goal of recycling and reusing every pair of Thousand Fell shoes in their supply chain. Their thoughtful designs include bioleather fabric that resists water and stains, keeping your toes dry, stylish and ultra comfy on the recycled yoga mat insole. 

5. Native

Best For | Water-friendly shoes 
Ethics | PETA-certified vegan, recyclable, fair trade, ethically made
Price Range | $25-$110

Native keeps it cruelty-free across the board, from infant sandals to adult hiking boots, using neither hair nor hide in their comfy, stylish shoes. These recyclable shoes are made with care, as the company continues to examine its carbon footprint and raise its own standards of eco-friendly practices. The brand’s Native Shoes Remix™ Project recycles well-loved shoes into community-centered programs, like playground construction. We love the waterproof Jefferson style made from their Bloom material, which is derived from repurposed algae biomass, an innovative plastic alternative.

6. Stella McCartney

Best For | Designer styles
Ethics | Vegan, cruelty-free, ethically made
Price Range | $325–$1,495

Stella McCartney blends luxury with sustainability. We love its mission statement and ethics that treat people, planet, and animals equally. The brand is always fur-free, uses recycled materials, and constantly strives to reduce its environmental impact. If you’re in the market for luxury vegan footwear, call it quits: From their iconic platforms to recyclable trainers, you really can’t go wrong.

7. Flamingos Life

Best For | Retro style sneakers
Ethics | Vegan, plant-based materials, family-run production centers in Portugal and Spain, gives back to multiple environmental initiatives
Price Range | $180–$240

Spanish brand Flamingos Life is serious about its plant-based footwear. This vegan company uses corn, bamboo, hemp, organic cotton, and sustainably extracted rubber from the Hevea brasiliensis tree to make its products. Their goal is to create a biodegradable shoe! Each sneaker is tied to a project, such as building water wells in Uganda, supporting reforestation projects in Madagascar and Mozambique, and making monthly donations to Waste Free Oceans for marine litter collection. We love a brand that puts their money where their mouth is, and Flamingos Life is the real deal!