Disclosure: Patagonia sent me a pair of their vegan shoes for this review. All opinions are 100% mine.
Shopping for a vegan shoe can be a little bit frustrating, but Planet Shoes and Patagonia makes it a lot easier.
Patagonia Advocate Weeks are back! Patagonia will donate $10 to the Northeast Organic Farming Association for each and any pair of Patagonia footwear sold on PlanetShoes from November 5 – 19th. If you haven't heard of this organization, they're doing great things for sustainable food:
NOFA/Mass is a community including farmers, gardeners, landscapers and consumers working to educate members and the general public about the benefits of local organic systems based on complete cycles, natural materials, and minimal waste for the health of individual beings, communities and the living planet. We encourage methods of farming and gardening that can continue for generations because they show respect for the soil, water, and air which support us all. We promote political and economic changes necessary to build a sustainable local agriculture that benefits rural, suburban and urban Massachusetts.
Eco-friendly shoes that also give back to the community? Don't mind if I do!
How Can Vegan Shoes Be Green?
Making shoes is not the most Earth-friendly, whether they're made from leather or a synthetic. Synthetics are petroleum products, but when you take into account the chemical processing involved in preparing leather for a pair of shoes, it doesn't shine as the most eco choice, either.
The best choice for a vegan shoe is organic cotton, canvas, hemp, or anything recycled and when you can, choosing those materials is far better than either synthetic or leather. Opting for second hand shoes (or repairing the shoes you have!) is another way to green up your footwear without harming any animals.
Vegan Shoe Review
Patagonia does its best to make their shoes eco-friendly. The Advocate Chukka uses recycled PET in the upper, recycled EVA insoles, and recycled rubber soles. The Chukka is a slip-on ankle boot, and so far I am loving mine! They're cute, comfy, and I love that they're so quick to get on and off - a nice feature during these chilly fall days!
My only complaint about these shoes - and I've noticed this about other Patagonia slip-ons - is that they don't have much in the way of arch support. I have high arches, and my feet ache if I wear shoes with a flat bottom for too long. For my other shoes that don't have arch support, I have a removable insert, and it works great with the Chukka, too. Instead of buying supports for every pair of shoes, I just have one set that I move from shoe to shoe. It saves money and materials. Double win!
Patagonia has a wide selection of vegan shoes over on PlanetShoes, including flip flops, athletic shoes, boots, and ballet flats. To find them all, I just searched "patagonia vegan women," and it turned up all of the ladies' shoe options. Easy peasy!
Do you have a favorite brand of vegan shoes that are also Earth-friendly? I'm always on the lookout for comfy, ethical shoes.