The shoe industry uses a lot of materials that are not vegan. Not only leather or wool to make the shoe itself as you see it but also the glue they use, wool, fur, etc.
According to Kim Van Langelaar, co-founder of Shop Like You Give a Damn, "Fast fashion can have an immensely devastating effect on the environment and bring a lot of animal suffering with it, too. Materials like leather and wool come at an extremely high price. They have a negative environmental impact and are bred and genetically altered to provide more skin and wool. We often do not know what precedes the products that we consume, because it all takes place behind closed doors."
Thankfully, over the past few years, veganism has gained a lot (seriously, a lot) of popularity, and more and more brands are joining the cruelty-free movement. So getting vegan products is easier than ever!
As they claim on their website, Yatay is "environmentally conscious and with a green soul, the mission of Yatay is to prove that uncompromised quality can be achieved without sacrificing sustainability." All their shoes are PETA-approved.
Since 2005, VEJA has been making sneakers differently infusing each stage of production with a positive impact.
They say it on their website (and we agree): "Your search for that vegan-but-still-cool footwear brand - that’s been going on for way too long now - is over. Being vegan is cool, duh."
Will you get a new pair of vegan shoes soon?