Vegan shoes that won't break the bank!
Is buying vegan shoes a problem?
I like variety in the food I eat, the clothes I wear and the shoes I own. If it looks too samey, then I won't want it, and if it's animal based, I won't want to buy it or use it.
The assumption about vegan shoes
When others have noticed my shoes, if they don't know how strongly I feel about only wearing vegan shoes, they will assume that they aren't vegan. This assumption is usually expressed like this: 'but your shoes aren't vegan are they?'
When friends have been thinking about making the shift to a plant-based lifestyle; they have often asked me whether vegan shoes exist or not. This is often followed by comments about the notion that they must be expensive as they're a niche product and therefore, they probably won't have much choice in terms of colour, style etc.
Is it true?
No. I have perhaps too many shoes - boots, flats, heels, casual comfy shoes and sandals. They are ALL vegan. The shoes I've purchased have lasted for ages, they feel good, are comfortable, easy to clean and look great! Oh and they're NOT expensive. :)
The surprise of finding vegan shoes where you may not expect to
The biggest tip I can give you is expect to find them where you wouldn't think to look!
I have been to stores like Clarks where staff were proud to say that all their stock contained leather or something that had died to create it. However, even Clarks are introducing animal -friendly shoes.
If you want lots of choices, I would visit New Look, Deichmann, ASOS, as they have lots of shoes that are 'vegan by accident.' Their stock includes a range of colours, with varying textures and heel sizes. New Look even has wide fit shoes!
There are also companies that specialise in vegan shoes. If you type "vegan shoes London" into a search engine, you'll be surprised at how many stores/online companies come up. I put "London" as an example but they're everywhere, so do have a search! :)
Another idea is to shop in places like Brighton where there's a large vegan community. You'll have loads of choice and might even wish you hadn't gone! When faced with so much choice, II struggle to know what to choose and what to reject.
What about vegan shoes for men?
No sexism here! Vegan shoes exist for men AND women.
In terms of mainstream shops, I'd suggest that men begin looking in the stores listed below:-
Let me know how you get on. :)
“Animal products cause more damage than [producing] construction minerals such as sand or cement, plastics or metals. Biomass and crops for animals are as damaging as [burning] fossil fuels.”