Vegan Shoes

[Lightningman_42]

Hello to all of you beautiful forum members!

So guess what! I need to buy new shoes! I like you guys and appreciate your insight, so I wanted to ask you some things before I go and buy new shoes!

If I examine shoes at Big 5, or Target, or wherever I decide to go shopping; should I look out for any nonvegan materials, other than leather?

Should I avoid certain brands because of any human rights issues? What brands are the most ethical?

Thank you all for your insights. Have a happy, nice, fun day, full of rainbows and sunshine!

[EquALLity]

I think leather is all you have to worry about (except for obvious and uncommon things like snakeskin), but there are a few of different names.
PU leather- not vegan
PU- vegan
suede- not vegan
man made leather- vegan
pleather- vegan

If you're getting faux leather, note that PU is more eco-friendly than PVC.

Obviously anything saying 'all man made materials' or 'synthetic materials' is vegan.

I doubt your shoes will have any wool-esque materials to look out for.

Hope I helped!

[brimstoneSalad]

I personally favor buying shoes that don't even look like leather, so I don't get annoying questions and don't have to try to figure out what they're made of.
That's up to you, though. If you're going for dress shoes, you'll probably want materials that may be mistaken for leather.

Should I avoid certain brands because of any human rights issues? What brands are the most ethical?

I would not worry about that. Don't buy anything made in the U.S.A. or a Western country if you're concerned with human welfare. Shoe factories (and other manufacturing) in third world countries do more for human welfare (by providing the best jobs in the region that support upward mobility) than pretty much any charity there is.
So, choose one made in the poorest country if you want the best outcome in that regard. You can usually achieve this outcome accidentally by just being frugal.

DO look at reviews online, and get something that lasts a long time. The longer your shoes last/the better made, the better it is for the environment.

[Lightningman_42]

Thank you both for your input. I appreciate your help, and now I have new shoes (I bought them today).

PU leather- not vegan
PU- vegan
suede- not vegan
man made leather- vegan
pleather- vegan

If you're getting faux leather, note that PU is more eco-friendly than PVC.

I'll remember this! Very useful!

I would not worry about that. Don't buy anything made in the U.S.A. or a Western country if you're concerned with human welfare.

My shoes were made in Mexico. Is that good or bad? Most of the shoes I looked at, at Big 5, were made in either China, Vietnam, USA, or Mexico. I got one of the best prices I could find ($40, as opposed to $60 or more).

One thing I am slightly concerned about is that the box (nor anything on the shoes; I checked very thoroughly) doesn't state what the materials are. The shoes appear to be mostly rubber and synthetic fabric, with a little bit of synthetic leather. The "leather" on them looks very much like that on some of the other shoes I examined (for which they had labels indicating it was synthetic), and unlike some of the real leather I saw. I just hope I didn't accidentally buy leather.

Anyways there were only a few well-priced, (Men's) Size 10, (at least apparently) synthetic sports shoes that I could find in the store.

[brimstoneSalad]

One thing I am slightly concerned about is that the box (nor anything on the shoes; I checked very thoroughly) doesn't state what the materials are.

That's highly unusual. It's usually on the tags or under the tongue.

https://www.wewear.org/industry-resourc ... abeling/#3
Apparently not a legal requirement. I guess footwear is exempt.

I just hope I didn't accidentally buy leather.

You probably didn't. Shoes will usually advertise it as being leather if it is.
If they chose not to label, it's probably because they had nothing to advertise.