4 Most Sustainable & Ethically Made Running Shoes for Eco-Athletes

There are loads of running shoes available these days, especially with such a diverse selection of online companies. However, not every sneaker company has ethics and sustainability in mind when they source materials and produce their products.

So we’ve taken a look for brands that take ethics and sustainability seriously, especially when it comes to sourcing materials, production processes, and how their employees are treated.

Inkkas Flexaire Collection

If you’re in the mood for some seriously fun and exciting running shoes, I have just the ones for you.

Inkkas produces some of my favourite footwear designs, and have some of the most vibrant, colourful running shoes you can find for both men and women.

Their awesome designs coupled with the fact they’re committed to respecting the environment and the local artisans involved in making their shoes, makes them possibly my favourite brand on this list.

Check out their Brisbane Flex Runners or the Rooster Flexaire for a couple of great examples.

Outdoor Voices HOKA x OV Clifton

Outdoor Voices is an activewear and footwear recreation brand, which aims to be a sustainable resource for recreation. With this in mind, the brand sticks with their three core values, which are people, planet, and product.

Keeping track of its values, Outdoor Voices creates shoes and apparel made from sustainable made-to-sweat-in fabrics, such as recycled polyester. Aside from sustainably sourcing materials, the brand ensures their running shoes and apparel are ethically produced in their partner factories in the US, China, Vietnam, Italy, Portugal, and Cambodia by visiting each factory regularly. They also only select partners, which abide by their code of conduct and comply with worker rights and safety, and produce high-quality products.

One of the brand’s high-quality and award-winning products is the HOKA x OV Clifton men’s and HOKA x OV Clifton women’s running shoes, a collaboration with the brand Hoka One One.

This lightweight shoes with marshmallow-like cushioning comes in four colours (silver, white, black, and midnight navy). People who bought a pair raved about how comfy it is, that running even 40 miles in the shoes still feels like running on clouds.

Allbirds Wool Runner

Allbirds is a sustainable shoe company based in New Zealand. It is great in terms of their ethical compliance and stylish running shoes with breathable, recycled knit upper materials.

They focus on simplicity in design with their sneakers, and use all natural, biodegradable materials—even their packaging is 90 percent recycled cardboard. Its materials also include sustainable merino wool, recycled plastic bottles, and sugar cane as a replacement for petroleum soles!

This brand is a B-Corporation that gives back to the community in many ways. One of which is through participating in the Souls4Soles program.

Allbirds sells ethically made running shoes for men, women, and children in a variety of styles to fit everyone’s taste. Unfortunately, they only ship to customers in the United States, New Zealand, and Australia as of the moment. Although, they are working on growing their distribution market to ship to other areas.

One very well-regarded running shoe on their website is the Men’s Wool Runner, that comes in 13 different colors. Made of breathable and flexible knit construction, this product is priced at $95.

Allbird focuses specifically on shoes for men, women, and children. It also offers a variety of styles, from athletic running to more casual walking shoes. 

VivoBarefoot Magna Trail

Last but not least is Vivobarefoot. Another impressive B-Corporation that has a diverse line of running shoes, made from ethically sourced materials. Their company goal is quite admirable. Posted on their website’s Sustainability page, they aim to utilize 90 percent sustainable materials by the year 2020.

Their philosophy is to make shoes that conform better to the biomechanics of the human foot, while using less materials. Initially, people were skeptical when they see how thin and flexible the brand’s running shoes are. Although eventually, they became loyal customers who love the way their foot feels when running in VivoBarefoot shoes!

Made from plant-based materials, their fabrics are incredibly breathable and sturdy to last for a long time. One of its huge positive contribution to the environment is how they produce their sneakers; it only takes a fraction of water to produce, compared to other brands.

One top-selling product on their website is the Men’s Primus Trail II and Womens’s Primus Trail II, listed for a very reasonable $160. Flexible yet sturdy this shoe features recycled high performance materials. Lightweight and breathable but still holds up even when running the toughest routes and trails.