image from Beckett Simonon
Eco-Friendly & Sustainable Men’s Shoes
In 2019, over 24.3 billion pairs of shoes were produced worldwide. This number is mind-boggling because there are just under 8 billion people on the planet. Not to mention that a large percentage of the world’s population can barely afford a single pair of shoes.
The scarier part is that the footwear industry poses serious threats to our environment. During the manufacturing process, toxic chemicals are released into nature, and large quantities of carbon dioxide are emitted, contributing to climate change. And what about the impact of the millions of pairs of shoes that are disposed of each year?!
Just like fast fashion, the shoe industry is very harmful to the environment and factory workers, and we shouldn’t turn a blind eye to it. Whether you are looking for boots, sandals, sneakers, or dress shoes, try to support eco-friendly footwear brands that do not harm people and the planet.
Shoes are made from different materials, and as you want them to be durable, these materials aren’t always perfect in terms of sustainability.
Fortunately, there are more and more sustainable footwear brands to choose from! Here is a list of 14 men’s shoe brands your feet and the planet will love!
WHAT MAKES YOUR SHOES SUSTAINABLE?
One of the most important things is that sustainable shoes are always high-quality, well-made and durable. They are shoes that you can wear for years without them falling apart. Also, remember to always buy comfortable shoes, so that you’ll actually wear them.
The shoe brand needs to be transparent about who makes them, how and where. If the brand doesn’t disclose any information, it’s probably trying to hide its shady practices. Eco-friendly shoes are also made with more sustainable materials, like natural or recycled ones.
WHAT ECO-FRIENDLY MATERIALS SHOULD YOU SEARCH FOR?
Sustainable shoes are often made from recycled water bottles, organic cotton, wool, jute, or recycled rubber. Some brands are even using innovative techniques and make their soles with algae or sugarcane!
Leather shoes are tricky, because the leather industry is very wasteful and polluting. But leather shoes generally last for years, are durable, and can often be repaired. So if you want to buy leather shoes, opt for more sustainable options, like chrome-free or vegetable-tanned leathers.
You can also find leathers that are Gold certified by the Leather Working Group, which is an organization that audits tanneries and promotes more sustainable practices within the industry.
It’s difficult to find shoes that are 100% made from sustainable materials. But check out the following brands! They are making men’s shoes that are more eco-friendly and that your feet will love!
NOW, OUR TOP PICKS FOR SUSTAINABLE & COMFY MEN’S SHOES:
1) Nisolo
Category: Sneakers, Dress Shoes, Sandals, Boots, Daily Wear
Price: $110-260
Materials: Leather
Made In: Peru, Mexico
Nisolo creates stylish footwear staples and accessories for women & men.
Its pieces are all versatile and effortless to style.
The brand sells men’s shoes of all kinds: sneakers, sandals, slip-ons, boots, as well as dressier shoes like derbies & oxfords.
They’re all made of leather that originates from Leather Working Group certified tanneries, which meet the highest standards of environmental responsibility in the industry. Some models even have vegetable-tanned leather outsoles.
Nisolo is a certified B corporation. Entirely carbon neutral, it offsets its carbon footprint by investing in forest conservation projects in the Peruvian Amazon.
In 2020, the company also collected more than 5,000 shoes and sent them to Soles4Souls to divert them from ending up in landfills.
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2) Poppy Barley
Category: Boots, Dress Shoes
Price: $233-355
Materials: Veggie-Tanned Leather
Made In: Mexico
Poppy Barley is a Canadian brand and B-Corporation founded by two sisters in Edmonton, AB. Their company is committed to rethinking every step to create sustainably made, fairly-priced products designed to be worn on repeat. They make insanely comfortable footwear and well-designed accessories with inclusive sizing 6-13 and in medium, somewhat wide, and wide widths.
3) Veja
Category: Sneakers, Daily Wear
Price: $120-180
Materials: Leather, Recycled Water Bottles, Organic Cotton
Made In: Brazil
Veja is a footwear brand for the whole family with a mission to design sneakers that will stand the test of time. If you’re looking for men’s sneakers, the brand has different styles and colors to choose from. Most of them are made of high-quality leather that comes from tanneries certified Gold by the Leather Working Group, which promotes more sustainable ways of producing leather.
The lining of Veja shoes is made of organic cotton and recycled polyester. The brand also uses other sustainable materials, like recycled water bottles, sugar cane, and chrome-free leather.
I love that Veja is very transparent about its carbon footprint, where it comes from, and it even discloses the individual carbon footprint of its shoe models. It also follows fair trade principles and works directly with small producers.
4) Cariuma
Categories: Sneakers, Skate Shoes
Price: $79-169
Materials: Cotton Canvas, Cork Vegan Insoles, Recycled Plastic Laces, Bamboo, Sugarcane, Mamona Oil, Rubber
Made In: China
A classic look to stay with you for many years, Cariuma uses only ethical manufacturing, recycled packaging & carbon neutral shipping. Their shoes have a lot of fantastic reviews.
Cariuma is a Certified B-Corp Brand, and every shoe is made in an ethical factory in China. These factories have strict codes of conduct & fair wages.
Plus, for every pair purchased, they plant two trees!
5) Kane
Category: Molded Sneaker
Price: $75
Materials: Sugarcane
Made In: Brazil
Kane Footwear's Revive is the perfect workout recovery, travel, or everyday shoe that you can feel good wearing and purchasing. The shoe is built with a renewable, plant-based EVA foam alternative that's made from over 75% sugarcane byproduct.
Their signature dual-density foam actually retains CO2 sequestered during the sugarcane's growth cycle, making it a carbon-negative material. In addition, the dual-density foam is 100% waterproof and easy to clean with a quick rinse – perfect for any adventure. Best of all, it's a shoe designed for recovery and supports your feet for day-long wear. The Revive, created in collaboration with sports podiatrist Dr. Dan Geller, maximizes muscle recovery and comfort. Its 10mm heel-to-toe drop reduces strain on the achilles, raised nodes on the sole stimulate feet, and a spacious fit allows for expansion of the foot. Plus, Kane Footwear is a certified B Corp and 1% of their gross sales are committed directly to environmental non-profits through 1% For the Planet.
6) Beckett Simonon
Category: Dress Shoes, Boots, Sneakers
Price: $159-239
Materials: Leather
Made In: Colombia
Beckett Simonon creates handmade men’s shoes and accessories, using traditional techniques. Its made-to-order system eliminates the risk of having unsold inventory, which means resources are used only as they’re needed.
The brand sells a large variety of dress shoes, including derbies, loafers, oxfords and monk straps.
You can also find the perfect boots and sneakers!
All Beckett Simonon’s shoes are made of high-quality leather that was sourced from a Gold-rated tannery in Italy. It means that the manufacturer meets the most stringent criteria, and is committed to mitigating its environmental impact.
The brand uses 100% natural waxes, water-based solvents and dyes. Each pair of shoes is also easy to resole when the soles get worn-out.
7) Allbirds
Category: Daily Wear, Sneakers, Running Shoes
Price: $95-145
Materials: Eucalyptus Tree Fiber, Merino Wool
Made In: China, Vietnam, South Korea
Allbirds is a fashion and footwear brand that creates clothing and shoes with sustainable materials.
This brand is awesome if you’re looking for eco-friendly men’s shoes!
It sells simple and breathable running shoes, as well as sneakers that are perfect for daily wear.
Allbirds makes its shoes using renewable materials, like FSC certified eucalyptus tree fiber or Merino wool. Midsoles are made from Sweetfoam, a carbon-negative plastic-like material that is derived from sugarcane.
The brand includes FSC certified natural rubber in some of its models, and its laces are made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester.
The company became a certified B corporation in 2016, and is 100% carbon-neutral as it offsets its entire environmental footprint.
8) Rothy’s
Category: Daily Wear, Dress Shoes, Sneakers
Price: $175-185
Materials: Recycled Plastic Bottles
Made In: China
Rothy’s makes footwear from recycled plastic bottles for the whole family, combining 3D knitting technology and handcrafted assembly. The brand sells men’s sneakers and loafers, available in different colors.
They’re all super easy to dress up and dress down, which makes them a great wardrobe staple for everyday wear!
To make its shoes, Rothy’s diverts plastic bottles from landfills and turns them into its signature thread. The brand then uses it to knit sturdy, comfortable and machine-washable shoes. It harvests harmful algae from waterways to transform them into the footbeds of some of its models, which helps our marine ecosystems.
Its upper production has a 75% lower carbon footprint compared to the industry average. Rothy’s also collects ocean plastic and uses it to create sustainable bags.
9) Vivobarefoot
Category: Daily Wear, Work-Out Shoes, Hiking Boots, Sneakers, Sandals
Price: $115-240
Materials: Recycled Plastic, Leather, Merino Wool
Made In: Vietnam, Portugal, Ethiopia, China
Vivobarefoot is a minimalist footwear brand for the whole family.
Its shoes mimic the natural shape & movement of the foot, giving the impression we are walking barefoot.
The brand’s shoes are flexible, wide, and thin, promoting the foot’s natural strength and allowing us to feel the ground.
Vivobarefoot sells different kinds of men’s shoes, including sneakers, hiking boots, sandals, and other outdoor footwear that is made with recycled, natural, or biosynthetic materials.
Its leather shoes are naturally scarred and made from free-roaming cattle raised in small-scale farms. Some Vivobarefoot shoes are made of Merino wool that is Woolmark certified, which provides the highest standard quality and sourcing assurance.
The company is a B corporation, and it created ReVivo, an online marketplace for refurbished barefoot shoes.
10) Saola
Category: Daily Wear, Sneakers
Price: $82-130
Materials: Recycled PET, Algae, Cork
Made In: Vietnam
SAOLA is a French footwear brand that makes its shoes out of recycled water bottles.
Its men’s shoes are all sneakers that are 100% vegan, comfortable and ultra-light.
Each pair is made with several recycled water bottles, diverting them from going to landfill. Their laces are all made of organic cotton.
The soles are created using cork, algae and EVA (rubber-like material). SAOLA has partnered with Bloom Foam who cleans lakes where there are harmful algae, and turns them into a powder that is used in the manufacturing process. Doing this contributes to cleaning 100 liters of water for each pair of soles made.
The brand is a member of 1% For The Planet, meaning that it donates 1% of its profits to organizations aiming to protect our environment.
11) Kingdom of Wow
Category: Espadrilles
Price: $69
Materials: Cotton, Jute
Made In: Cambodia
Kingdom of Wow sells espadrilles and wool slippers that are ethically handmade by small artisans. The brand offers 3 classic models of espadrilles for men, each in a neutral color to make it easier to style with your clothes. They are all 100% biodegradable and vegan.
I love the versatility and flexibility of this timeless Mediterranean-style footwear!
Kingdom of Wow’s footwear is made from naturally cooling jute soles with breathable cotton uppers. This combination of natural materials makes them perfect to wear in warm weather, as they help keep your feet cool and breezy.
The brand offsets its carbon footprint by supporting the conservation of natural rainforests in Cambodia, where its production workshop is located.
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12) Sole Rebels
Category: Sandals, Boots, Sneakers, Slip-Ons, Daily Wear
Price: $90-140
Materials: Organic Cotton, Recycled Tires, Leather
Made In: Ethiopia
Sole Rebels was founded to blend creative artisan talents with the traditional Ethiopian shoe made with recycled tires. If you’re looking for colorful men’s shoes, this brand is for you!
It offers a wide range of models, styles, patterns and colors. You can choose between a variety of sneakers, boots, sandals, and other shoes that are great for everyday wear.
All Sole Rebels’ shoes are handcrafted by Ethiopian artisans, and made with sustainable materials such as organic cotton, jute, or koba plant fiber. Soles are made from recycled car tires, and the brand’s sustainable leather comes from raising free-range animals on a small scale.
The company also commits to paying its artisans 3 times the industry average in the country.
13) Baabuk
Category: Daily Wear, Sneakers, Slip-Ons, Slippers
Price: $95-135
Materials: Wool
Made In: Portugal
Baabuk is a Swiss brand that started making traditional wool slippers, but quickly expanded by launching its comfortable and cozy shoe collection. The brand sells men’s footwear, including different models of sneakers and slip-ons that are great for everyday wear.
You can even choose to customize your own pair!
Baabuk’s shoes are made of 100% Portuguese mulesing-free sheep wool that’s responsibly harvested and processed. The soles are made using natural latex or rubber. These shoes are coming to life thanks to local shepherds and artisans who use centuries-old techniques and knowledge.
The brand became a certified B corporation in 2016. In 2020, it also developed a program aiming to protect 6 endangered breeds of sheep that are native to Switzerland.
About the Author
Eva Astoul is a French freelance writer, specializing in content related to sustainability, simple living, and a growth-focused healthy lifestyle. She runs her own blog, Green With Less, to inspire people to live a more minimalist and sustainable life.
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