9 Sustainable Sneakers For Earth-Friendly Runs & Strolls
To be frank, the traditional footwear industry stinks, so let’s put some sustainability in your step—by moving toward sustainable sneakers.
But the last few years have seen leaps and bounds of progress, and we now have a healthy selection of ethical sneakers to put your best eco foot forward.
We’ve stepped up and personally tested the majority of the brands on this list for comfort (for us and the planet) and longevity, and have found a few that stand out.
Everything we recommend to you on Sustainable Jungle is independently researched and we ask all brands to confirm their claims. To avoid waste, we test products on an as needed basis. This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission. Learn more about why we do this here.
The Best Sustainable Sneakers You’ll Shoe-rly Love
For the athletically inclined (and those who love wearing slippers), Allbirds offers some of the most eco kicks on the market thanks to its natural, bio-based, and recycled materials.
Baabuk’s 100% Portuguese and Swiss sheep wool kicks are the most colorful head-turners we’ve seen. They’re also super soft—on both your feet and the planet.
The most unique sustainable sneaker brand award goes to 8000Kicks who make the world’s “first waterproof cannabis sneaker”. It features super comfortable antimicrobial hemp insoles and outsoles made from algae.
The Full List Of Eco-Friendly Sneaker Brands
1. Allbirds
About Allbirds
Price Range: $90–$160
San Francisco-based Allbirds makes sustainable running shoes for women, men, and kids (or “smallbirds”), as well as everyday sneakers (including water-repellant ones).
We tested the Tree Dasher 2, their everyday active shoes, and love how lightweight and breathable they are. The one-piece upper, padded heel collar, and cushioned midsole make these super comfortable for light workouts and our morning jog. We love how they can safely be machine-washed on a gentle cycle so we’ve been able to keep these looking (and smelling) fresh for years of wear.
Allbird’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
We’ve done a deep dive into Allbirds’ sustainability, but for the sake of brevity, here’s the summary.
Their Tree lines are made of eucalyptus pulp TENCEL Lyocell grown with 95% less water and produced in a clean, closed-loop process. Their Wool lines are made using ZQ Merino (which adheres to the most stringent ethical wool and most animal welfare standards) and require 60% less energy to manufacture than synthetic shoes. You’ll also find organic cotton, bio-based nylon, and recycled polyester used for some styles.
Midsoles are made from SweetFoam® (a sugarcane-based, carbon-negative EVA), and outsoles are made from SweetFoam® or FSC-certified natural rubber. They also use a castor bean oil-based insole foam, and laces are made from recycled water bottles.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The Certified B Corp’s merino is sourced from New Zealand and spun in Milan, Italy, by REDA, also a Certified B Corp and Europe’s only mill certified by the European Commission for sustainability. The Tree collection is made with FSC-certified eucalyptus from South African farms, which the Austrian company Lenzing turns into fabric.
Finished fabrics are assembled at a WRAP-certified factory in China, South Korea, and Vietnam.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Allbirds uses 90% recycled cardboard packaging and is Carbon Neutral by offsetting all business operations. They support regenerative agriculture, prioritize using renewable energy, and share the carbon footprint of each pair in the product description.
Community & charitable giving:
Through Soles4Souls, they donate lightly used, returned shoes to communities in need.
2. 8000Kicks
About 8000Kicks
Price Range: $119–$129
Portugal-based 8000Kicks make the world’s “first waterproof cannabis sneaker”.
We know what you’re thinking, and no, you can’t smoke the shoe (it has less than 0.3% THC,) and no, TSA won’t detain you if you wear these on your next flight. The only kind of high these sustainable workout sneakers will give you is a runner’s high, especially with how light and breathable they are.
The hemp shoe brand offers two sneaker styles, the versatile Explorer V2 and the Seeker, as well as slip-ons and Chelsea boots. We tested the Explorer V2, and they’re one of our favorite eco-kicks for everyday wear. They’re oh-so lightweight, breathable, and comfortable to wear all day long. Plus, we appreciate that their understated, minimalist style and earthy color goes with almost any outfit.
8000Kick’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Each shoe upper is made from responsibly sourced hemp fabric, which is not only durable (as proven by their “torture” tests) but also waterproof thanks to 2 layers of protection (a PFC-free coating combined with a breathable membrane).
They also feature a recycled polyester lining, antimicrobial and antibacterial hemp insoles, and outsoles made of either Bloom Foam algae (which helps sponsor the removal of harmful algae from marine ecosystems) or natural and recycled rubber.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Their hemp is sourced from several countries worldwide, and the brand ensures that all suppliers pay wages in line with Global Living Wage Coalition standards.
The shoes are manufactured in China and Portugal. Both factories pay above living wages and provide employee benefits such as free education, healthcare, and social security. 8000Kicks regularly inspects the factories and has representatives stationed in each country.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Theses shoes have a carbon footprint of 4.1kg of CO2 compared to 14kg of C02 for the average pair of traditional sneakers. Both factories use some renewable energy, and 8000Kicks offsets its emissions through hemp farming and additional tree planting.
3. Baabuk
About Baabuk
Price Range: $99–$199
Baabuk is a family-owned Swiss company that started with a simple Christmas gift: a pair of traditional Russian Valenkis felted shoes. Now an ISPO Gold award-winning brand, they continue crafting cozy, sustainable slippers and sneakers.
With several unisex styles to choose from, there’s a wooly sustainable sneaker for everyone. We own a pair of the Sky Woolers (which come in 13 different colors, plus a Blacknose special edition made with wool from the Valais Blacknose Sheep). This high-rise sneaker is one of favorite year-round shoes for everyday wear thanks to the temperature-regulating merino lining and water-repellant 100% wool upper.
Baabuk’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Wool (mulesing-free and ethically sourced from kindly treated sheep) is the base of all Baabuk booties. For their sneakers, they use Portuguese sheep wool (and for their slippers and boots, they use New Zealand wool). The Sky Woolers and Urban Woolers feature a 100% wool upper, a soft Merino inner lining, a durable rubber sole, and Nubuck leather. Other styles feature a TPU or rubber blend sole.
The new Shunya Wooler sneaker is Baabuk’s most sustainable shoe yet. The 100% leather-free and 99% plastic-free shoe features a plant-based Strobel made of TENCEL and vegetable-derived PLA and a plastic-free PLIANT® sole made from natural rubber. The 1% plastic comes from the water-based synthetic glue.
Supply chain & labor practices:
This Certified B Corp’s supply chain is fully traceable and ethical. The sneakers are 100% made in Portugal, including sourcing the wool from sheep in Serra de Estela Natural Park. Felting occurs in Portugal’s historic Burel Factory, famous for its long wool-making tradition using either hand techniques or 100+-year-old machinery. The sneakers are then sewn at ateliers in nearby Porto.
Slippers are handmade in Nepal, where Baabuk guarantees safe working conditions, no child labor, equal employment opportunities for women, and a 25% higher salary than the national average.
Their logistics centre in Switzerland provides employment opportunities to people with disabilities through the brand’s partnership with the BVA Foundation.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Baabuk chooses wool because of its compostable end-of-life prospect and eco-friendly nature. Wool is 50% carbon, sequestered through a sheep’s diet.
They offer a repair kit for $5 to help extend the life of your shoes and encourage folks to repair rather than replace. Their durable sneakers are machine washable, and you can return your old pair to the brand for recycling.
Community & charitable giving:
In partnership with the Swiss organization ProSpecieRara, their Miss Baabuka project helps conserve rare sheep breeds.
4. Thousand Fell
About Thousand Fell
Price Range: $125–$135
Thousand Fell creates sneakers “with a life cycle you can follow—and feel good about.” By this, they mean the first zero waste, closed-loop, recyclable, and recycled sneakers.
Between sustainable design and easy-to-recycle materials, their women’s and men’s sustainable sneakers are made to wear over and over again—which means they won’t wear down our planet either.
We own the Women’s Slip On and Women’s Lace-Up and love how comfortable they are. The lace-ups are a classically styled sneaker that we’ve worn all day long with no complaints, thanks to the super comfy cushioned insoles. They seem well-made, so we reckon Thousand Fell’s claim that they’re good for 2.4 million steps is to be believed. We also love that we can send them back for recycling when they eventually wear out.
Thousand Fell’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
They use vegan bio leather (made from rPET and corn waste resin) for the uppers and sustainably sourced natural Amazonian rubber for the soles, along with other sustainable materials likebio foam from soya bean oil, recycled rubber from yoga mats, and recycled polyester for the mesh lining and laces. The mesh sock liner also features aloe vera to combat bacteria.
For bits that usually require plastic, locally sourced food industry byproducts like sugar cane, palm leaf fibers, and coconut husk are used.
If you like white kicks, know theirs will stay white for longer thanks to a natural quartz barrier making them stain and water-resistant, and we can confirm these guys are super easy to wipe clean.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The brand’s ethical sneakers are made in a family-owned factory in Brazil using as many locally sourced sustainable materials as possible.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Thousand Fell uses water and carbon offset programs and packages its shoes in an organic cotton tote bag that can be reused or repurposed. The shoe box is also the shipping box, made with recyclable, FSC-certified, and carbon-neutral cardboard. If you live in NYC, a bike messenger will deliver your shoes to minimize the shipping impact.
Their Recycle & Earn program allows you to send back your old TF shoes for $20 towards a new pair. The brand will donate or recycle them for the raw materials.
Community & charitable endeavors:
Thousand Fell is a member of 1% for the Planet. Any shoes in decent condition returned to the recycling program are sent to the nonprofit Soles4Souls.
5. Merrell
About Merrell
Price Range: $70–$210
Well-known for its sustainable hiking shoes, long-standing footwear manufacturer Merrell specialized in sneakers for active pursuits.
While some models are more sustainable than others, those we’ve tested are some of the lightest and most comfortable shoes we’ve had the pleasure to run in. Our personal favorite is the Trail Glove 7, a minimalist shoe designed for everyday and moderate off-road use. We found that it provides just the right amount of support while still giving that barefoot experience, with an ultra-grippy Vibram outsole that provides full protection and plenty of traction.
We also tested the Moab Flight and would recommend it those looking for a more traditionally supportive shoe. It features a removable contoured footbed, an EVA foam midsole, slip-resistant outsole, and a protective toe cap.
Merrell’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The upper, lining, laces, and webbing of the Trail Glove shoes are made from 100% recycled materials. They also feature a 30% recycled EVA insole, and the Vibram® Ecostep outsole is made from 30% recycled rubber. The Moab Flight line features a 100% recycled footbed, and the laces, mesh lining, and webbing are also made from recycled materials.
Another sustainable model is the Moab 3 X Parks Project hiking shoes, which feature HyphaLite™, a mushroom-based vegan leather and recycled canvas (with an 8% pineapple yarn) upper.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Parent company Wolverine Worldwide manufactures in factories across the globe, and all suppliers must ahere to its Code of Conduct. Merrell is also a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
In addition to transitioning to more sustainable materials, Merrell is on a mission to reduce water waste and plastic packaging and cut the number of samples it produces by half by 2025.
Merrell ReTread is the brand’s recycling and resale program, helping to keep shoes out of landfill and in circulation for longer.
Community & charitable endeavors:
Merrell aims to complete 10K volunteer hours by 2025 and has a history of partnering with various nonprofit organizations.
6. Grounded People
About Grounded People
Price Range: $89–$180
Self-labeled the “Do-better-Company“, Grounded People is on a mission to become a market leader in sustainable footwear.
While their collection may be small, they’re on point regarding ethics and sustainability. We’re talking recycled materials, ethical manufacturing, and a 100% vegan collection, making them one of the most sustainable sneaker brands on our list.
We own a pair of the CAMPINAS unisex sneakers and love how the paired-back minimalist design works with any outfit. The zero-drop means they’re comfortable all day long, and they appear well-made, so we’re hoping these will last a long time. In fact, we recently grabbed them for a concert at which we had floor tickets, meaning we were on our feet and dancing ALL DAY and by the end, our feet were the least achy thing about us.
Grounded People’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The CAMPINAS low-rise sneakers feature a 100% recycled canvas cotton upper, EVA insoles, and an outsole made from recycled car tires. Other styles feature onMicro vegan leather uppers and natural rubber soles.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Sneakers are made in Brazil, mostly by hand, in a 100% vegan factory that ensures fair wages and a safe working environment. They’ve partnered with Retraced to map each step of a product’s journey and share the details on each product page.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
In addition to prioritizing low-impact materials, Grounded People also ensures their sneakers are built to last “because slow fashion also means less consumption“.
Community & charitable endeavors:
The brand supports several nonprofits through the LACES program. Choose which color of laces you’d like, and 100% of the proceeds will go to organizations such as Climate Resolve, One Tree Planted, and KidSafe.
7. Cariuma
About Cariuma
Price Range: $85–$169
Cariuma makes sustainable skate shoes in a way that’s better for people and the planet, including slip-ons, low tops, high-tops, and more.
The OCA Low is their retro-inspired everyday sneaker, which is available in both vegan (organic cotton canvas) and non-vegan (leather and suede) versions. The only problem will be deciding which color and print to go for. For something a little out of the ordinary, check out their limited-release collaborations, including the best-selling Hokusai Peonies & Canary Canvas.
Cariuma’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Cariuma uses various sustainable materials, including organic cotton grown with regenerative methods, FSC and OEKO-TEX-certified bamboo, natural rubber, and ethically sourced Brazilian sugarcane (a polyethylene produced by I’M GREEN).
Their ethical leather sneakers have an upper made of LWG Gold-certified leather and suede. The leather is produced using recycled/reused water and renewable energy and is not associated with deforestation.
The insoles are made from cork and mamona oil (a plant-based alternative to petroleum-based foam), and the laces, thread, and labels are made with GRS-certified recycled PET bottles. Only bluesign®-approved, non-toxic dyes are used.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Following ILO guidelines, the Certified B Corp prioritizes the health and well-being of its workers through living wages and a manageable work week. Their WRAP-certified manufacturing partner adheres to their Code of Conduct and they’re taking steps towards certifying and improving traceability for their suppliers.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
With a protective toe cap and a fully-stitched outsole, Cariuma’s durable sneakers are designed to last. Each pair ships in recycled and recyclable packaging, and their solar-powered warehouse is ISO 14001:2015 and LEED Gold certified.
Community & charitable endeavors:
For every pair purchased, two trees are planted in the founders’ homeland of Brazil.
8. SAOLA
About SAOLA
Price Range: $115–$140
Pronounced SOW-la (after an endangered animal), SAOLA makes “kickass” kicks designed to get outside. Whether you’re looking to take a hike or just walk to the bus stop, this recycled shoe brand offers an impressive line of supportive, eco-friendly sneakers.
The Cannon Knit is particularly suited to all-day-long summer adventures thanks to its lightweight, breathable uppers, cushioned midsole, and durable outsole.
SAOLA’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The Canon Knit and Tsavo lines feature uppers made from a minimum of 83% recycled polyester (from plastic bottles), PA, and spandex. The polyester lining is 40% recycled, and the PU insoles are 80% recycled with a 100% recycled cork top layer. The EVA midsoles are 35% recycled, and the outsoles are made from 56% synthetic rubber, 39% natural rubber, and 5% cork.
The Alta Vibram shoes feature an upper made of organic cotton, recycled polyester, and virgin polyester, a lining made from 100% recycled polyester, and Vibram Eco-step outsoles.
Laces are made with organic cotton.
Supply chain & labor practices:
SAOLO’s shoes are manufactured in Vietnam. They work closely with their manufacturing partner, and regular visits (from their Product Development Director, who is based in Taiwan) combined with third-party audits ensure that high social standards are maintained.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
The knit construction reduces material waste compared to traditional cut-and-sew methods. The uppers are dope-dyed, meaning the color is added during the yarn production stage, which uses 85-95% less water and 55-65% less energy than traditional dyeing techniques.
Community & charitable giving:
As a member of 1% for the Planet, 1% of proceeds go to conservation organizations. This year, their chosen nonprofit is Friends of Bonobos.
9. VEJA
About VEJA
Price Range: $135–$245
Brazilian for “look”, French brand VEJA is changing how the world sees sneakers using biodegradable, recycled, and partially biobased materials for their high-tops, low-tops, volley sneakers, trek shoes, and ethical tennis shoes.
Veja’s Gender Inclusive Campo Sneaker is a retro-inspired shoe with sporty vibes. It features a removable padded insole and a springy outsole to keep you comfortably stylish wherever your day takes you. Vegan styles include the Urca CWL Sneaker and the V-10 CWL, both of which feature a CWL (Cotton Worked As Leather) upper.
VEJA’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
About ⅔ of VEJA’s men’s and women’s sustainable sneakers feature leather uppers sourced from LWG Gold-certified tanneries.
Their vegan models swap leather uppers for organic and regeneratively grown cotton, CWL (organic cotton with a 54% bio-based coating made from P.U., corn starch, and ricinus oil), or a recycled polyester mesh.
Other components are partially made from biobased materials such as castor bean inserts, sugar cane midsoles and insoles, and Amazonian rubber and rice waste outsoles. Lining, laces, and buckles are made from recycled polyester or recycled cotton.
Supply chain & labor practices:
This Certified B Corp goes the extra mile for its supply chain, purchasing materials like rubber and organic cotton for double market prices. All raw materials are sourced and processed in Brazil, except for select cotton farming and spinning, which takes place in nearby Peru.
Sneakers are assembled in a factory near Porto Alegre, where workers are protected by a fair trade code of conduct that provides fair wages, benefits, paid vacation, regular schedules, and protection from forced overtime.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Veja’s fair trade tennis shoes cost 5x more to produce, but through forgoing advertising, they’re available at the same price as other brands.
They’ve calculated their scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and created an emissions report to see how they can continue to reduce them, and offer ways for shoes to be repaired or recycled at their shops in Bordeux, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Brooklyn, and London.
Community & charitable giving:
VEJA’s Paris warehouse provides opportunities for individuals facing barriers to employment. 90% and 25% have had health or housing problems, respectively.
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Thanks for this very interesting article!
I didn’t know many companies … so thanks to the description of each one it helped me to understand a little more about their eco-sustainable choices.
In particular, the history of the Saola company is interesting, I bought the Cannon Rose Gold from them and they are very comfortable!
I found a similar pair of shoes in the ACBC store. Now I can’t do without both!
Very detailed and complete article with all useful information, congratulations again 🙂
Super interesting article. I would love to know your opinion about the French brand VEJA?
Hey Larissa, thanks for the comment! Veja looks interesting! We’ll take a look on our next update of this article, thanks for the suggestion!