The top 24 Sustainable Footwear Brands from Europe

Cariuma prioritizes environmental and social responsibility, sourcing materials like organic cotton, natural rubber, and recycled PET, and ensuring ethical practices in their factories. Their products are designed with timeless style and comfort in mind, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of fast fashion through durable and low-impact sneakers. Committed to continuous improvement, Cariuma is a certified B Corp, and they actively contribute to ecological restoration by planting two trees for every pair of sneakers sold, with over 2 million trees planted to date.

COG is committed to animal welfare and environmental sustainability, offering exclusively vegan shoes crafted in Europe from ecological materials, with a focus on ethical production practices. Their products are assembled in family-owned workshops in Portugal, ensuring good working conditions, and they support animal sanctuaries by donating a portion of their profits. Materials such as grape marc, recycled polyester, and water-based polyurethane are used in their footwear, alongside recycled PET for laces and recycled rubber for soles, demonstrating their dedication to reducing environmental impact and fostering a circular economy.

Crafted Society champions transparency and artisanal excellence, with all products designed in Amsterdam and crafted in Italy by master artisans using the highest quality Italian materials, including full grain and nubuck calf leathers. The brand's commitment to sustainability is evident in their timeless, minimalistic designs and durable construction, which are not subject to fleeting fashion trends, providing customers with wardrobe essentials that last. Moreover, Crafted Society's ethos extends to empowering and educating the next generation of artisans, ensuring the preservation and celebration of traditional craftsmanship.

Eco Vegan Shoes offers a diverse selection of footwear, ensuring durability that surpasses many leather products, and emphasizes comfort with features like machine-washable Eco-OrthoLite® insoles. The brand adheres to ethical standards with vegan certification from The Vegan Society and PETA, and maintains fair labor practices, including fair wages and safe working conditions, with no child labor. Additionally, Eco Vegan Shoes strives for environmental responsibility by avoiding leather, using sustainable materials like castor oil-based polyurethane, and applying non-toxic, biodegradable treatments such as ecorepel® to their fabrics.

Ethletic stands as a pioneer in ethical fashion, starting with the world's first fairly produced football in 1998 and evolving into a sneaker brand with a strong commitment to social and environmental responsibility. The brand's products are made with FSC®-certified natural rubber from Sri Lanka and Fairtrade-certified organic cotton, and Ethletic actively supports community welfare projects in its producers' countries, exemplified by the Talon Fairtrade Workers Welfare Society which benefits from a premium with each pair of shoes sold. Ethletic's approach to sustainability extends to offering a repair service for worn sneakers and ensuring that all components are processed to facilitate future separation and effective recycling, contributing to a circular economy without imposing a "sustainability tax" on the consumer.

Flamingos' Life crafts vegan sneakers using innovative, plant-based materials like corn waste, which outperforms leather in durability and is USDA-certified, and incorporates bamboo linings for its renewable and carbon-sequestering properties. The brand supports sustainable agriculture by using organic cotton for shoelaces, avoiding harmful pesticides, and promoting biodiversity and farmer well-being. Additionally, Flamingos' Life employs recycled polyester from post-consumer plastics, including marine waste, for certain shoe details, aligning with circular economy values and reducing environmental plastic pollution.

Good Guys is a pioneer in vegan footwear, offering stylish, 100% vegan, and cruelty-free shoes since 2011. Their products are crafted from innovative materials like Uppeal™ (formerly AppleSkin™), a bio-based leather alternative made from apple industry waste. Committed to ethical production, all Good Guys shoes are made in Europe under fair working conditions.

Iris van Herpen is a beacon of innovation in Haute Couture, intertwining advanced technology with traditional craftsmanship. Her collections, celebrated bi-annually at Paris Haute Couture Week, are known for their avant-garde wonder, with pioneering techniques such as 3D printing and electromagnetic weaving. The brand's ethos is rooted in a vision of sustainability as second nature, seeking to transform fashion into a more conscious, diverse, and meaningful expression. Collaborations with artists, architects, and scientists exemplify Iris van Herpen's commitment to pushing the boundaries of fashion, art, and technology, crafting bespoke designs that empower individuality and embrace a transformative experience.

Mireia Playà champions ethical fashion with vegan footwear, manufactured in Alicante by skilled artisans experienced in traditional leatherwork, adapted to vegan standards without compromising quality. The brand commits to sustainability by incorporating organic and recycled materials, eliminating plastic from packaging, and offering carbon offset options for online orders. Ensuring fair labor practices, Mireia Playà adheres to strict Spanish and European labor laws, and participates in the "Who made my clothes" initiative by Fashion Revolution, promoting transparency and respect for all life forms.

Nae Vegan is committed to sustainable fashion, offering a range of vegan shoes, bags, and accessories crafted from organic and recycled materials. Their products are ethically made in Portugal, reflecting their dedication to environmental responsibility and cruelty-free practices. The brand also engages customers with incentives like a 10% discount for joining their community, while utilizing cookies for personalized marketing and analysis.

Nat-2™, a Munich-based luxury footwear brand, is renowned for integrating unconventional natural materials into its designs, including stone, coffee grounds, and cannabis, among others. The brand has been recognized with international awards and is featured in prestigious museum collections, underscoring its commitment to innovation and sustainable, high-quality sneakers. Nat-2™ challenges traditional fashion norms by proving that sustainable design can be avant-garde and zeitgeisty, without compromising on aesthetics or groundbreaking storytelling.

Nisolo emphasizes sustainability, offering living wages, healthcare, and benefits, with high employee satisfaction in their Peruvian factory and strong support for workers during COVID-19, contrasting with other brands. They combat racial injustice in the fashion industry through antiracist initiatives like diverse hiring, partnerships with BIPOC businesses, and community engagement. Their comprehensive sustainability efforts include health and safety, gender equality, and empowerment, with a focus on transparency, sharing wages and carbon footprints, and seeking third-party certifications. Nisolo actively collaborates in activism, sustainability advising, and supports other sustainable brands, sharing their methods to encourage industry-wide change.

NOAH embraces sustainability by offering high-quality, leather-free footwear and accessories that respect the environment, animals, and human health. Their products are crafted in selected Italian workshops that adhere to International Labour Organization standards, with a focus on safe and fair working conditions. Additionally, NOAH utilizes recycled and biodegradable materials, maintains environmentally friendly shipping practices, and powers their offices with renewable energy, ensuring a responsible footprint that aligns with their social and ecological ethos.

O.T.A has embraced a commitment to sustainability through its innovative use of recycled materials, specifically by crafting sneaker soles from recycled tires, with the ratio of three pairs of sneakers equating to one recycled tire. Customer feedback highlights the sneakers' comfort, quality, and impressive ground grip, underscoring the brand's success in balancing eco-conscious manufacturing with functional and stylish footwear.

Peterson Stoop stands out in the footwear industry as the first company to specialize in the redesign of shoes, employing their patented Circle Welt™ technique to extend the life of sneakers. Their commitment to sustainability is evident in their practice of deconstructing and rebuilding worn shoes, notably through their Patchwork collection, and by transforming customer's favorite shoes with a handcrafted Resoul™, a process involving over 100 manual steps. The brand's dedication to a positive impact is supported by The Stimuleringsfonds, and they are working towards measurable sustainability, focusing on accountability, traceability, and collaboration.

Po-Zu is an ethical sustainable footwear brand that prioritizes the health of feet, the environment, and fair practices within its supply chain. The brand's shoes are crafted from renewable, low-impact materials such as organic cotton, natural cork, and Piñatex, with a commitment to avoiding harmful chemicals and ensuring materials are locally sourced whenever possible. Po-Zu's ethical approach extends to its manufacturing processes, maintaining high standards for worker treatment, fair wages, safe working conditions, and minimizing manufacturing impact by recycling waste products and using non-toxic policies.

SoleRebels demonstrates a commitment to ethical production by employing local artisans at wages three times the industry average, providing comprehensive benefits, and fostering a positive impact on the Ethiopian community. The brand emphasizes the use of sustainable materials, such as recycled tires, organic hand-spun cotton, and plant-based fibers, ensuring their footwear is environmentally conscious and culturally rooted. Their innovative approach includes handcrafted production, elimination of traditional shoe boxes in favor of reusable hand-loomed bags, and a dedication to upcycling, all contributing to a reduced carbon footprint and support for local traditions.

Thaely, a pioneering brand in sustainable footwear, transforms waste into fashion by crafting sneakers from recycled materials like plastic bags and bottles, aligning with its mission to combat plastic waste and promote ethical practices. The brand's innovative ThaelyTex fabric, developed in collaboration with Virendera Textiles, mimics leather using sanitized, upcycled plastic bags, while the sneakers' other components, such as laces and soles, utilize rPET and recycled rubber, sourced from Waste2Wear India and Enky Rubber group, respectively. Thaely's commitment to the environment and fair trade is underscored by its PETA-certified vegan products, minimal eco-friendly packaging, and support for fair wages and safe working conditions for waste management professionals in the Delhi-NCR region.

VEJA, established in 2005, approaches sneaker production with a blend of social projects, fair trade, and ecological materials. The brand uses Brazilian and Peruvian organic cotton for fabrics and laces, wild Amazonian rubber for soles, and innovative materials crafted from recycled plastic bottles and polyester. VEJA sneakers are made in Brazilian factories that respect workers' rights, while European logistics and e-commerce are managed by Log’ins, a company promoting social and professional inclusion.

Vesica Piscis Footwear emphasizes sustainable practices by using vegan, organic, recycled, and recyclable materials, such as recycled cotton, GOTS-certified organic cotton, recycled polyester from plastic bottles, GRS-certified recycled TPU for soles, and natural materials like rubber and cork. The brand's circular design philosophy includes a "RECYCLE ME" process, encouraging customers to return worn sneakers for recycling or sole reuse, offering discounts as incentives for participating in their zero-waste initiative. Handmade to order to minimize overproduction, Vesica Piscis products reflect a commitment to ethical manufacturing, animal respect, and the creation of a fairer society, supported by a customer-involved circular system and optimized packaging.

Wayz for Life prioritizes ethical production and environmental responsibility by designing, sourcing, and producing sneakers within a 70 km radius in Porto, Portugal, ensuring a reduced ecological footprint and close partnerships with local family-owned suppliers. Their sneakers are made from eco-friendly and recycled materials, and they have offset 28 tonnes of CO2 emissions, certified by the United Nations, aligning with their commitment to carbon neutrality. The brand offers transparently crafted, high-quality footwear at fair prices, with a life cycle analysis showing a 10% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to fast fashion sneakers, reinforcing their dedication to sustainability and ethical practices.

Wildling Shoes, as a B Corp certified company, commits to high ecological and social standards across its entire organization, not just its products. They focus on fair production conditions, ecological and innovative materials, rewilding projects, and New Work principles to create a regenerative impact. Their approach includes fostering diversity, encouraging a collaborative culture, and continuously improving through learning and innovation. Wildling Shoes aligns with other socially responsible companies to drive a global movement towards ecological and social transformation in business practices.

Womsh is committed to sustainable fashion, producing shoes in Italy with a focus on ethical production and respect for both people and the environment. The brand utilizes innovative materials such as metal-free tanned leather and Apple Skin, a leather alternative made from 50% apple fiber, to create eco-friendly and fashionable footwear. Additionally, Womsh's partnership with LifeGate's Zero Impact project and the use of 100% recycled packaging underscore their dedication to reducing their environmental footprint and promoting a circular economy.

ZOURI is an eco-vegan footwear brand dedicated to environmental responsibility, producing shoes in Guimarães, Portugal, using sustainable materials such as organic cotton, natural rubber, and Pinatex, derived from pineapple leaves. In a significant plastic-free movement effort, ZOURI has engaged over 600 volunteers to remove 1 ton of plastic from Portuguese beaches, repurposing this waste into raw material for their footwear. The brand ensures ethical and fair trade practices, providing transparency about the materials and the artisans involved in the manufacturing of each pair of sneakers, aiming to offer some of the most ecological and vegan sneakers available.