Finding vegan-friendly shoes is one of the things I have the most difficulty with, especially because I'm cheap! I try to only buy items that are on clearance or are second hand and that only makes things more difficult. Ultimately, I find myself buying shoes that are more expensive than I'd like, that are new, but I always make sure that they are free from animal based components.
This can actually be challenging! I've found that many manufacturers these day won't tell you what their shoes are made out of. The last pair of shoes I bought, for instance, proudly displayed on the tag "all man-made materials," but the three other pairs I looked at that day said at least one part or the whole shoe were made from "textile." I tried to determine what that meant using the Internet to no avail.
Some websites claimed that "textile" could be a combination of leather and plant-based materials. In most cases, it seems safe, as textiles are supposed to be a type of woven fabric. However, without a distinction to the types of materials used in the creation of the textile, it could include other animal based fibers as well (silk, wool, etc.). And then there is the possibility that it could mean an animal-based material that doesn't come from a cow.
A number of animal rights groups have been recently exposing leather and meat from out of the US are actually harvested from the skins of feral and domestic dogs and cats. In fact, Wikipedia supports my suspicion that "textile" could be animal-sourced. "Animal textiles are commonly made from hair, fur, skin, or silk," the "Textile" article states. So, yeah, if it just says "textile" I am NOT buying it.
Thankfully, there are other options. When shopping in conventional stores, check the label. Make sure it says "all man-made materials" or other materials that are animal free; plastic, vinyl, cotton, rayon, polyester, etc. You can also opt to buy from officially vegan-friendly marketplaces, such as the following.
Alternative Outfitters
I have already featured this retailer this week in my apparel post, but their shoe marketplace is worth bringing them up again. AO has a wide variety of vegan shoes in many styles and for any budget. Including Oxfords. Like these floral ones. Amazing.
Moo Shoes
A multitude of cruelty-free brands stocked. Most of the women's shoes on this website start at $60. They're a bit on the pricier side, but they do have many wonderful styles.
Zappos
To a lot of people, Zappos is a big deal. They're a huge online shoe store and they have a section devoted to vegan shoes and accessories. They have many affordable items as well, like these super cute flats made by Melissa Mel. They also carry Sanuk sandals, of which Chris is a huge fan.
Lulu's
Where Moo Shoes and Zapps offer a lot of variety, they don't have a ton of really "girl" shoes. But don't worry, Lulu's does! High heels and studded boots are among the styles. My favorite here was the floral lace-up combat boots. They have a lot of options for under $50. To see their entire vegan line, click here.
Do you have any other great recommendations for vegan shoe shopping? I'd love to hear your advice so please leave me a comment! While you're here, you can also check out my posts on Vegan-Friendly Clothing and Vegan- and Eco-Friendly Jewelry or view all of my Vegan Mofo posts at this link. Thanks for reading!
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