The Best Ethical Shoe Brands for 2021

Confession: I used to hate shoe shopping. Not because I hated shoes (quite the opposite, in fact), but because I always felt guilty over the lack of ethically sourced materials available, fears of sweatshop labour, and general lack of quality that leads to shoes quickly deteriorating. Luckily, as the market shifted, more and more ethical shoe brands are entering the mainstream — alleviating much of my guilt and making shoe shopping fun again.

As far as apparel goes, shoes are one of the most important aspects. For instance, they protect our feet, show off our style, and help us put our best foot forward (literally). From sneakers and running shoes to heels and boots, ethical brands of shoes are certainly no longer quite as hard-to-find. No matter what type of shoe you’re searching for, there is a brand out there for you. And so, here are some of the top options for 2021.

Allbirds

Locations: Stores in major cities in the US, London, Berlin, Auckland, Beijing, and more

Ethical features: B Corp-certified, ZQ ethical wool, FSC-certified packaging, carbon offsetting, responsibly sourced materials.

Shoes offered: Casual, everyday shoes for men and women

Price Range: $$

You might’ve heard of Allbirds – the “world’s most comfortable shoe,” as the brand claims. It has ads all over social media and stores in major cities across the world, so this New Zealand-American company is all the rage these days. Their line of runners, flats, and casual sneakers take sustainability to new heights.

The brand is not vegan, but their merino wool shoes are backed by the ZQ Merino company. This ensures high standards of farming and animal welfare. They also use recycled bottles to create their laces and compostable materials for the eyelets. Plus, Allbirds has made a commitment to track, reduce, and offset all the carbon they use. With sustainability in every aspect of the brand, Allbirds is a great option for casual sneakers and everyday shoes.

Hexa Shoes

Location: Bangkok HQ, with retailers in New York, Asia, and online

Ethical Features: PETA-approved vegan, carbon offsetting, traceable materials, and recycled rubber

Shoes Offered: Formal shoes, sandals, wedges, flats

Price Range: $ – $$

Hexa Shoes is a great option for vegans looking for stylish leather alternatives. It uses vegan-approved “leather,” which is dyed using the cold pad bath method. This method uses up to 40 percent less water than normal dyeing methods. This faux leather they use is a fully traceable Japan-sourced, eco-friendly microfiber. Hexa Shoes is also working to decrease its overall carbon production and increase worker rights in Thailand by providing fair pay and air purification.

Veja

Location: France (ships worldwide)

Ethical Features: Organic and fair trade cotton; B Corp-certified; clear transparency about where and how they source materials; recycled materials, and naturally tanned leathers

Shoes offered: sneakers for men, women, and children

Price: $$

You won’t see any ads for Veja, and it’s by design. This French company wants to keep prices competitive with traditional sneaker companies — something they can’t do with huge advertising budgets. Veja wants to increase transparency, give back, and promote natural, restorative agricultural practices with all their products.

With fair-trade cotton and wild-sourced rubber, Veja focuses on an open and transparent supply chain with a clear Code of Conduct to promote human rights. That includes banning child and forced labour, ensuring safety and living wages, and allowing workers the right to unionize. While many of their shoes are made with leather, they do offer a few vegan alternatives.

Vivo Barefoot

Location: UK (ships worldwide)

Ethical Features: B Corp-certified; shoe recycling and repairing scheme; foundation to invest back into workers and communities; clear code of conduct and environmental policies listed on the website.

Shoes Offered: Running, outdoor, and adventure shoes

Price: $$$

Vivo Barefoot is redesigning the way we run — literally. Their line of “barefoot” shoes is made to move with your feet, rather than restricting them. These minimalist shoes are better for your feet and the planet. That’s because Vivo takes care to keep shoes out of the landfill with their recycling and repairing shop – Revivo. They also take ethics to the next level, ensuring workers and communities are looked after with help from the Livebarefoot Foundation. The foundation invests in communities, education, and environmental conservation programs. Vivo also ensures they have clear and consistent environmental and worker policies laid out on their website.

Earth Shoes

Locations: US and Canada (currently not available outside those countries)

Ethical Features: Partnered with Trees for the Future; non-toxic glues and water-based adhesives; Soles4Souls partnership

Shoes offered: Casual – walking shoes, sandals, boots

Price: $ – $$$

Earth Shoes’ focus is right in their name – the earth. This shoe company specializes in a wide range of comfortable, casual wear shoes made from vegetable-tanned leather and non-toxic adhesives. These methods are better for the planet and the factory workers making the shoes. Earth Shoes also has committed to becoming more sustainable every year. One way they do that is by partnering with Trees for the Future to plant trees for every purchase made. The brand also gives back with Soles4Souls – a global enterprise that aims to give shoes to the most vulnerable in our communities.

Fortress of Inca

Location: Austin, TX (ships worldwide)

Ethical Features: Handmade in Peru; fair trade; shoemakers receive healthcare, paid vacation, and maternity/paternity leave

Shoes Offered: Leather shoes, boots, and sandals

Price: $$$

Focusing on high quality, artisan-made shoes, Fortress of Inca sets the bar high. While these leather shoes are not vegan, they source natural materials and produce responsibly. Also, the factories where these shoes are made are all owned by local families. The brand also focuses on worker’s rights and safe conditions. That includes providing healthcare, fair wages, gender equality, and safe factories for all the employees. This is great if you’re searching for high-quality, ethical shoes to wear to work, a special event, or show off to your friends.

Inkkas

Location: US based (ships worldwide)

Ethical Features: Fair wages; carbon offsetting; partnered with Trees for the Future and Soles4Souls; vegan options available

Shoes offered: Casual – sneakers, chukka, loafers

Price Range: $$

Inkkas offers a wide range of casual, fun shoes for everyday living. Their options range from flat and loafers to camping boots and everything in between. The shoes also have colorful designs based on traditional South American patterns. Moreover, they are made in factories owned and operated by locals in Mexico.

Inkkas pays all workers two to five times the average wage and ensures safe working conditions for all. In addition, the brand only uses responsibly sourced materials and is working to offset all its carbon output. With casual, comfortable shoes for everyone (including vegans), Inkkas is a great way to show off personality and style.

Swedish Hasbeens

Location: Sweden-based, with retailers in the US, UK, and Europe

Ethical Features: Made to last using natural materials; handmade; responsibly sourced wood and rubber; free from heavy metals

Shoes offered: Statement shoes with funky styles and patterns – wedges, heels, sandals, boots

Price Range: $$$

Swedish Hasbeens is the perfect place to find stylish, stand-out pieces that are also ethical. These shoes are long-lasting, because they responsibly source materials and make the products by hand in small factories. The products consist of naturally tanned leather and are free from heavy metals. Also, they source wood from a heavily regulated forest that replenishes trees. All the shoes are made in factories with high levels of regulation in Europe to provide the best working conditions for all employees.

Conclusion

With more ethical shoe brands appearing in 2021, we have more ability than ever to make great choices to reduce our impact on the world. No matter what the occasion or activity, there are plenty of ethical options that make shoe shopping guilt-free!

Think I’ve missed some great new ethical shoe brands that deserve a mention in 2021? Let me know in a comment below!