The fashion industry is responsible for most of our carbon emissions and waste landfills. As consumers we should be aware of the production chains and impact investment fashion brands go through. This list holds catered sneaker brands that are changing the way shoes are produced and the level of impact we have as consumers by buying their brand.
Veja
Price range: 90-225 euros
You have probably already seen these Parisian stylish sneakers on the streets. Veja is a company that since 2005 has focused on a new manufacturing process to make shoes. Their production chains a very transparent, you can even find them on their website in which they show their vegan process of making vegetable leather, the Amazonian organic rubber used in the sneakers, and many more components that make the brand sustainable and socially ethical.
Saye
Price: 130 euros
This Portuguese sneaker brand have taken over the internet for their old-school but ecological model. Their designs include vegan and real sustainable leather in which all resources are produced and sourced in the European Union. For each pair of shoes bought, the brand promises to plant two trees. They have so far planted 89,670 trees. Their reforestation project is driven by their sales, in which the consumers partake in planting trees, restoration of protected areas, and carbon capturing process. The reforestation takes place in Australia, the Amazon, India, and Zambia.
Ecoalf
Price range: 80-150 euros
This Spanish fashion brand is based on up cycling products with repurposed waste. The sneakers imitate Nike styled shoes but made in an ethical way with plastics, fish nets, old tires, and coffee grounds.
Allbirds
Price range: 95-135 dollars
Founded by New Zealand native, Tim Brown, Allbirds offers a variety of running shoes made out of eucalyptus tree fibers, recycled plastic shoelaces, and ZQ Merino Wool. Allbirds announces in 2019 that they were going carbon neutral.
Sole Rebels
Price range: 120 dollars
The soles of these shoes are made from recycled tire handcrafted in Ethiopia, offering workers medical assistance, fair wages (three times the average wage), and transportation. The production process is carbon neutral since it uses traditional artisan techniques (like hand-spinning and looming) and sustainable materials like organic jute and Koba plant fiber.
Flamingos Life
Price range: 100-120 euros
This Spanish sneaker brand uses old tires, water bottles, natural rubber, organic cotton, and other recycled plastics to make this beautiful old-school sneaker. Flamingos Life also collaborate with Waste Free Oceans NGO for ocean clean ups and educational projects.
Etiko
Price range: 57-80 euros
This Australian family-owned brand has been a pioneer in the sustainable world. They have been certified as Fair Trade, B Corporation, and Social Traders. They have also won several sustainability prizes, such as the Highest Ranking Ethical Production, Human Rights Award in 2016, and Winner Product of Fair Trade in 2013 and 2014. The brand uses recycled packaging, organic cotton, natural rubber, and no animal glues.
NAE
Price range: 38-100 euros
NAE is a Portuguese vegan footwear brand that uses sustainable materials such as recycled PET from bottles, OEKO-TEX® certified microfibers, recycled car tires, natural cork, recycled thermoplastic, and pineapple leaf fibre! Plus, NAE’s production chains are carbon-neutral.
