A good pair of boots is a timeless staple. However, finding boots that don’t use animal skin leather has been a challenge to vegans for years. Fortunately, there are now more options than ever.
Over the past few years, the demand and supply of vegan leather boots have increased and continues to do so. As a result, there are more and more offerings of vegan boots, ranging from new independent brands to vegan takes on iconic boot models from established shoe-making giants.
Whatever your taste, you can be sure to find your perfect vegan boots here.
Types of Vegan Boots
Here we will take a look at the brands offering some of our favorite vegan boots. To see some of our favorite picks for specific styles of vegan boots, browse these links:
Taking a more detailed look into Vegan Leather Boots Brands
100% Vegan? – Certain models are explicitly labeled as vegan.
STC is a Canadian footwear brand that specializes in safety and work boots. They are not a 100% vegan company, but they do have a range of vegan work boots that use entirely vegan-friendly components. The material used in their vegan range is Chemtech, a vegan-friendly microfiber.
They provide a great selection of different work boots, ranging from lightweight metal-free options to heavy-duty 18” boots and everything in between. They are the best option for those who need a highly specialized boot as opposed to just a general safety boot (although they do have a great jack-of-trades safety boot in the Trump Boot). Safety features of their boots include anti-slip soles, puncture resistance, anti-torsion outsoles, as well as oil and chemical resistance.
They outline the specifications of each boot on their website so you can find the perfect work boot for your occupation. The quality of their vegan boots is on par with their leather alternatives, with many customers testifying for their durability. They are sure to last you years to come, even with heavy and consistent use.
You can probably tell by the name, but Will’s Vegan Store is a 100% vegan footwear and clothing brand for men and women. They have a large range of products, from affordable to more premium options. Their variety of options will surely cater to any occasion, whether you need to dress to impress, need a smart daily boot in the week, or if you’re after a sturdy walking shoe for weekend excursions.
They were established in 2013 and over the years have improved the ethical and environmental workings of their company, such as becoming a carbon-neutral company, removing all plastic from their packaging, adding more sustainable materials to their vegan leather, and much more.
Viron is a vegan and PETA-certified brand from Paris but made in Portugal. You will not find any animal products in their products. Their leather is mostly made from Appleskin and corn. Part of their profit goes towards companies and charities who are pushing the plant-based movement.
Viron is one of our favorite vegan boot brands, we love how comfortable they are out of the box. The quality of their shoes and boots is a testament to the potential of vegan leather and surely stands on par with any animal-derived counterparts. Viron is an achievement in the protection of animals through fashion.
Their classic boot model is the “1992 Apple Boot”, but they have many other options for other styles of boots and shoes in other vegan materials. Their lane is very much in the cutting edge of fashion, and their boots are a perfect finish for outfits from the most luxurious high fashion brands, or those charity shop gems. Whether you want to turn heads or remain subtle with your footwear, you cannot go wrong with Viron.
Good Guys Don’t Wear Leather is an entirely vegan French shoe brand established in 2011. Another French brand based in Paris, Good Guys is the first fully vegan French shoe company. Their distinct range of vegan boots takes style inspiration from more classic looks, ranging from cowboy and motorcycle aesthetics to modern takes on the classically European clogs. They are PETA certified and have close ties to the Animal Liberation Movement.
Good Guys utilize their microfibre blend to successfully recreate the classic styles of leather whilst avoiding any animal-derived materials. They have also begun releasing boots made from the same Appleskin technology used by Viron.
100% Vegan? – Boots marked as vegan are Vegan Society-approved vegan.
Rock Fall is a safety and work boot brand from the UK (although you can find distributors in the US) that has an extensive history as a reputable brand. They have a large range of clearly marked vegan work boots that are Vegan Society-approved.
Their range includes everything from steel-toed athletic shoes, to specifically designed water rescue boots. Some safety features include protective toecaps and midsole, soil resistance, and low temperature, heat, chemical, and slip resistance.
They have a great range of sizes available, so can cater to those who have less common shoe sizes.
V.gan is a UK-based brand that sells a range of animal-friendly lifestyle products. Most of their products are represented by imitation leather products in the form of footwear and vegan leather accessories. Their collection of vegan boots maintains a high level of quality and style whilst managing to remain very affordable options.
Their range of boots includes their own noticeably specific takes on classic styles, including Chelsea boots, calf-high boots, and chukka boots. They are a reliable choice for those needing a daily city boot, with praise being sung for their comfort, quality, price and no punches pulled on their looks.
Italy’s shoe brand Noah seeks to recreate Italian classic fashion styles but with entirely vegan materials. They have a long history of production, being established in 2008.
They produce elegant, handcrafted footwear in Italy itself. As a result of their style direction, their boots range is slightly less comprehensive than other brands on our list. However, because of both their quality and their classy designs, we believe their vegan boots demand serious consideration.
They put animal welfare and sustainability at the forefront of their production, whilst receiving multiple PETA awards across more than a decade of business.
Humans Are Vain is a Swedish vegan footwear brand, that prioritizes sustainability in both its materials and their production. They use sustainable recycled materials to create vegan leather and suede boots, shoes, and sneakers which can be recycled themselves, as well as participating in research in more sustainable production.
Their boots collection features sleek takes on the iconic Chelsea boot and more that will perfectly finish any of your outfits, whether it’s a rugged gothic look or a smart city look.
Minuit Sur Terre, translating to Midnight on Earth, makes for another French entry on our list. They are a 100% PETA-approved vegan clothing brand, whose main stock is footwear. They produce their vegan leather footwear from various sources, from recycled ocean plastics to naturally waterproof leather made from grapes.
They have a slightly smaller collection of vegan boots than other brands we have looked at, but the ones that they do stock are beautifully designed which will be perfect for your most elegant boho outfits.
Nae Vegan Shoes, Nae being an acronym for No Animal Exploitation, are based in and are produced in Portugal. Established in 2008, they are one of the earliest contributors to vegan footwear and accessories.
They stock a huge range of footwear, and the boots department is no different. Whether you’re after a chunky vegan leather boot or a more functional vegan suede mountain boot, Nae has got you covered. They also feature many options of textile boots as well as vegan leather styles. They make sure to constantly adapt to new materials available to them to ensure the durability and quality of their boots are not sacrificed in the name of avoiding animal cruelty.
100% Vegan? – Unclear
Lugz has a great selection of work boots that are made using synthetic leather and nubuck rather than animal-based textiles. Unfortunately, they are not able to confirm whether the glue they use is derived from animals or not. We have decided to include their collection as they produce some specialized boot styles that you may not be able to find from other brands.
Their options include boots that are water resistant, steel toe enforced, and slip-resistant, as well as pairs that can protect you from certain electric hazards. They also have great sneaker styles that are designed with durability in mind, so if you don’t require additional protection but spend all day on your feet, then these are perfect for you.
Doc Marten boots are one of the most iconic boots of all time, spanning across different sub-cultures and styles. They still use leather as their primary ingredient in their regular, but have a good selection of vegan footwear, especially their more classic styles.
The brand is steeped in history, so there are several precedents in how to style Doc Martens, which makes them a reliably stylish choice. If you’re set on representing the classic Doc shapes and branding, then supporting their vegan line goes a long way in changing their supply through demand to encourage more animal-friendly materials.
Solovair’s footwear is made in the NPS factory where Doc Marten started. Using the same leather cutters used to create the original Doc Martens in Northamptonshire, England, Solovair prioritizes quality whilst continuing to produce the classic boot shapes they were instrumental in creating. They are still handmade, which separates them away from the fast fashion world in which Doc Marten is firmly footed.
Like Doc Marten, they still mainly use animal leather, but their vegan range is good and expanding. Despite Solovair not being fully vegan, supporting vegan sections of a brand is still a positive directional step.
100% Vegan? – All Vegetarian Shoes’ products are vegan.
Vegetarian is a long-established pioneer in vegan footwear. They are from the UK but can be found in certain US-based outlets.
Vegetarian shoes do not specialize in work boots, however, they have a great range of general safety boots, including the Euro Safety Boot. They are water-resistant, and have a steel toe, padded collar, as well as a padded bellows tongue.
Vegetarian Shoes also produces a traditional English workboot range they call Airseal. This range takes visual inspiration from the iconic Doc Marten boots, but Vegetarian Shoes reintroduce the functionality of this style. The line is water resistant and some models have steel toe caps, making for the perfect stylish and ethical safety boot.
Be sure to check out their broader range of safety boots for different styles.
Bohema is a Polish brand who were the first to use cactus leather as a shoe material. They also use other vegetable-based leathers such as grape leather to create their very diverse range of boots featuring military style boots to ankle-high heeled boots. They focus on the sleek and minimalist colors of black and white across their collection, leaving the possibilities for styling them wide open.
Their leather is nearly indistinguishable from animal leather and delivers comfort and durability. Bohema leans into a gothic style with their boots, but the minimalism and quality of the designs mean they will adapt to any outfit you throw at them.
100% Vegan? – All Eco Vegan Shoes’ products are vegan.
Eco Vegan Shoes have a great range of safety work boots and shoes. Their whole range is completely vegan so don’t have to waste any time filtering through the materials.
Their range features less specialized boots than other brands but makes a range of boots that are perfect for warehouse operatives, airport workers, and construction workers. Their collection includes S1, S2, and S3 certified safety shoes, so whatever your needs you are sure to find the right work boot for you here.
They use composite toe caps rather than metal. This means the safety boots are much more lightweight allowing better movement and maneuverability in the workplace.
COG is mostly an all-vegan sneaker brand. However, they have some great-looking smart city ankle boots that are well worth checking out. They are designed with comfort as a priority and make for a good daily shoe.
100% Vegan? – All Ethical Wares products are vegan.
Ethical Wares is a UK company, but they offer worldwide shipping. They have a modest but high-quality collection of vegan work boots.
Their best all round boot, the Vegan Steel Toe Capped Safety Boots are antistatic, non-slip, and heat, abrasion, hydrocarbon, oil, and solvent resistant, making them perfect for all sorts of warehouse roles. They outline the European safety standards that they meet, so you may have to cross-reference the guidelines with US or Canadian guidelines.
They also produce specialized chainsaw boots, designed for those with forestry jobs.
Another vegan leather-focused brand from the UK delivers a large range of boots. We are particularly fond of their calf-high boot offerings that are perfect for those late evenings spent in the city. Those looking for an edgier look are also sure to find your new favorite take on the military boot that can adapt to even more formal settings.
They run projects in which discarded manufacturing materials are reused to ensure nothing goes to landfill, and use as much recycled material as practicality can allow.
Based in the Netherlands, A Perfect Jane offers a fully vegan boot collection highly inspired by the iconic cowboy boot. They feature a mixture of ankle and calf-high styles in their collection, using apple leather and faux suede to create a collection of boots that range from more classically cowboy designs to more unique boots that borrow that beautiful cowboy boot shape.
Why vegan boots?
When making an ethical choice on whether or not to use animal products, you’d be forgiven for thinking that its extent would be only food. However, lots of other daily products that we use and consume have animal products in them.
Leather is made from the skin of an animal, which is usually a cow. With the amount of leather used in the world, the demand for animal skin is high. It is often believed that leather is just a byproduct of meat, but in fact, it perpetuates the production of livestock. Leather is also one of the most damaging materials for the environment.
With there now being an array of options for leather alternatives, from plastic-based leather to leather made from apple waste, it’s easier to find an option suited to your style. We have tried to represent a variety in taste with our selection of vegan leather boots in this article.
There was a time when an item wasn’t made with “real leather”, and there would be an implied notion that it is a lesser quality product. This now isn’t the case, even with famous designer brands such as Prada and Stella McCartney using leather alternatives in their footwear and clothing.
Are vegan boots durable?
As mentioned, there was a time when vegan leather was looked down upon for its quality. Lower-quality products still exist, but with the demand for non-animal-derived materials increasing, the quality of them has also vastly improved.
It still depends from brand to brand and usually how much you spend on the durability of vegan leather boots. Sometimes it can be hard to tell whether good vegan leather is animal leather or not.
Synthetic leather is also generally lower maintenance. It doesn’t need as much care and attention as animal leather, and a quick wipe down will usually suffice in increasing the life of vegan leather boots.
Of course, the sole and outsole of boots are usually a material such as rubber, so even with non-vegan boots this part usually doesn’t contain animal products. The bottom of your shoe takes the most beating and wear so this part would age the same as any ordinary boot.
The option to repair your vegan boots is usually the same as a traditional boot, so you can increase the lifespan of a pair in this way just like normal.
Do vegan boots take long to wear in?
It depends from product to product, but in many cases, vegan leather boots do not take much if any time to wear in. For example, Viron is a brand we have listed that makes different styles of footwear, including a small variety of differently styled boots. This brand in particular uses apple leather, which is made from apple byproduct waste. These boots in particular are supple from the get-go and we think more comfortable than any animal leather boots we have worn in the past.
Are vegan alternatives environmentally better than leather?
Examples such as leather made from materials that are usually used for food, such as leather and mushrooms, seem intuitively a better option for the planet. It’s when vegan leather boots are made from synthetic materials, such as plastic-based ones, that people begin to question the environmental impact.
The process of turning animal skin into leather is one of, if not the most damaging processes that we carry out to make clothing and footwear. The chemicals used in the process pollute rivers and water supply.
So as long as a vegan leather product is made to be durable and last a reasonable time, then even the less environmentally preferred alternatives such as PVC should have less of an impact on the environment than animal leather. And of course, no animals were used and harmed in the process.
Should I throw away my old animal leather boots?
The realization that you are wearing an actual animal’s skin on your feet and body tends to happen properly when you start thinking about how your lifestyle choices impact animals. For some people they can’t stand the idea of continuing to wear them, for other people, it may not bother them as much. Either way, whether you continue wearing your old leather items is a personal choice and does no further harm.
If you decide that you don’t want to wear your old boots anymore, then not only are you lucky that we have presented such a good selection of the best vegan leather boots for you.
Summary
For many years vegan leather has been deemed to be inferior to its animal-derived counterpart. However, this is mostly due to the previously most dominant alternative being pleather (polyurethane), which often is also the choice of cheaper shoe options. With the furthering of technology in the field of vegan leather (with materials such as Appleskin and other plant-derived alternatives) the options for vegan boots that get top marks in looks, comfort, durability, and sustainability are higher than ever.
We have chosen our favorite picks for this list, but the options are almost dizzying in this day and age. The ethically conscious consumer no longer has to sacrifice quality and style for an animal-friendly boot. Not only this but the investment and interest in non-animal derived leathers are only getting higher and higher, with even non-vegans being switched to the cruelty involved in leather production.
We believe the quality standard produced by some of the more independent brands that we have featured means that you will be able to find anything you’re looking for at a 100% vegan brand. However, we also understand the desire to rock classic brands and styles. Supporting larger brands that still sell animal products is still a massive step forward, and they are undoubtedly influenced by not only demand from their own custom