Start with brands that use ethically sourced materials as part of your eco-friendly shoe search. A transparent supply chain should allow consumers to learn whether the brand pays its workers living wages, offers safe working conditions, or offsets CO2 emissions.
Allbirds is one of the leading sustainable, eco-friendly mens shoes brands, creating their sneaker from merino wool and FSC-certified eucalyptus wood, carbon-neutral shipping options, recycled cardboard packaging and soy-based ink.
Allbirds
Allbirds shoes are an eco-friendly alternative for men looking to reduce their carbon footprint. Crafted with cutting-edge materials that reduce waste and energy use in production processes, their shoes are lightweight yet breathable, making them suitable for everyday wear. Plus, Allbirds offers various styles, such as sneakers and chukka boots!
This company stands out from their competition with its distinctive marketing approach: playful yet effective content creator partnerships that share its eco-friendly values; certified as B Corporation with strict requirements such as paying employees fair wages and carbon-neutral operations. Furthermore, they donate lightly used shoes to those in need and use recyclable packaging when shipping products.
Brave GentleMan
Joshua Katcher, an award-winning fashion designer, author, and activist, founded Brave Gentleman as an eco-friendly shoe brand for men. Their products are vegan-friendly and cruelty-free; sustainably sourced materials include pineapple leaves, apple waste and recycled plastic bottles sourced via water minimisation plans and a production process that is solvent free – a carbon-neutral shipping program is in place as well! For every eco-friendly mens shoes pair sold, they donate two trees towards Brazilian rainforest conservation!
Brave Gentleman offers more than ethical footwear; their sustainable clothing and accessories use a slow fashion model, investing in innovations, superior vegan materials and ethical production processes. Animals do not belong in production systems, and those responsible should receive fair wages with safe working conditions.
The brand’s standard boot is constructed using high-tech Italian “future leather,” an eco-label certified polyurethane microfiber with a matte, technical surface that becomes increasingly unique with wear.
Nisolo
Their huarache sandals are eco-friendly and breathable, made with recycled rubber soles combined with genuine leather uppers for maximum breathability. Additionally, Bloom Algae cushion technology was implemented, which blends invasive algae with foam for an eco-friendly, biodegradable cushion. Independent parties carefully audit their factories to ensure workers receive living wages while being treated fairly.
Allbirds is a certified B-Corp and carbon-neutral company, giving 2% of profits to rainforest conservation while offsetting 100% of carbon emissions, using recycled shipping materials, and using comfortable, flexible shoes with a stylish flair for everyday wearers. Allbirds offers an innovative shoe recycling program that sends gently used shoes directly to Soles4Souls to distribute to needy communities.
Orba
Every year, global fashion produces 20 billion shoes made of harmful synthetics. Orba is changing this. Their eco-friendly mens shoes Ghost sneaker is built to last; when you’re ready to part ways with them, place them in an environment rich in microorganisms, and they will biodegrade naturally.
They use recycled paper and plant-based ink for their labels while being carbon neutral. Furthermore, this top-rated Certified B Corp utilises Good Ops’ ACCOUNTABLE social impact assessment tool to ensure transparency and fair wages at their factories.
Prioritising ethical and fair trade shoe production, they pay their suppliers well above minimum wage while prioritising worker health, safety, and equality. Their suppliers include contractors compliant with BSCI (Building Safety Culture Initiative). LWG gold-rated tanneries use only recycled water in leather production while their insoles are made of sustainable cork or sugarcane; while using recycled PET bottles (rPET) labels and laces sourced from Soles4Souls to displace returned shoes from landfills and give them to those in need.
Sanuk
Sanuk is an unconventional cult brand on an adventurous and creative mission to provide fun, comfortable footwear that puts a smile on both feet. They specialise in earth-friendly products made with hemp, recycled rubber and rPET REPREVE materials; additionally, they use their “U-Turn” program, which allows customers to return shoes that need repairs at a reduced shipping emissions and waste rate.
They offer an extensive selection of styles, from sandals to boots. Furthermore, there is even an assortment of flip-flops designed specifically to help create that beach vibe.
