November 1st is World Vegan Day and what better way to celebrate than shopping at vegan and cruelty-free certified footwear brands. 

Vegan footwear can be made out of plant-based and synthetic materials. Sustainability in fashion has been the most talked about topic lately, as it relates to the economic and environmental crisis we currently face. Since then, many brands have tried to lessen their environmental impact by making products that are both sustainable and cruelty-free. Below, we rounded up some vegan footwear brands that are not only sustainable but also stylish. 

Ethletic

Ethletic is a 100% vegan sneaker brand that is both PETA-approved and Fairtrade Certified. The sneakers are made of 100% organic cotton sourced from fairtrade producers. The rubber soles are Forest Steward Council (FSC) certified and made of natural rubber. Not only are they vegan-friendly, but the brand is also an advocate for ethical welfare. Ethletic might just be the only brand that accepts tips online. These tips go directly to their sewers in Pakistan, and for each pair of sneakers sold, 1 USD goes to the Workers Welfare Society.

You can shop Ethletic sneakers at their website or if you’re in Canada, you can grab them at The Grinning Goat. 

BHAVA

BHAVA is an animal-free footwear company. As a brand, they aim to avoid animal byproducts and instead, they use Italian vegan leather that is free of PVC, formaldehyde, phthalates, PCP, aromatic amines, azodyes, or chrome. Their shoes are manufactured in Spain and are handmade by artisans. 

BHAVA shoes are available in EU sizes 35 to 42. You can grab yourself a pair of BHAVA shoes at their e-commerce store, here. 

Beyond Skin

Beyond Skin is a UK-based luxury vegan footwear established in 2001. The products are designed in England and manufactured in Spain. Similar to BHAVA, they use luxury Italian synthetic leather. They use polyurethane (PU) synthetic leather and even though it’s synthetic, it is still a better alternative than PVC. All Beyond Skin shoes are made with 100% recycled faux leather lining and Beyond Skin is also a PETA-approved vegan brand. 

Beyond Skin is available in EU sizes 35 to 42. A variety of styles from sandals to trainers are available at their website, linked here. 

If you want to learn more about vegan and plant-based leather alternatives, we rounded up clever ways the fashion industry has avoided animal leather. Learn more about it, here. 

Published by HOLR Magazine.