Photo: Getty
Shoes can be tricky from a sustainability perspective, considering that leather has a large carbon footprint, is linked to deforestation in the Amazon, and the production process often involves harmful chemicals. Meanwhile, vegan alternatives are usually made from plastic, which stays around for hundreds of years.
Luckily, it’s not all bad news: a number of footwear brands have been working to reduce the impact of our shoes, committing to using leather that’s produced in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, as well as adopting innovative materials.
With celebrities like Kate Moss, Gigi Hadid and Meghan Markle all championing consciously-made footwear, it just goes to show that you don’t have to sacrifice style for eco-credentials. Below, see five sustainable shoe brands to invest in now, according to the A-list.
Pīferi
Photo: Getty
Since launching his eponymous vegan footwear brand in 2020, Jimmy Choo’s former head of design Alfredo Pīferi has quickly gained a loyal A-list following that includes Kate Moss, Jennifer Lopez and Emily Ratajkowski. His fashion-forward shoes are handmade in Italy using a corn-based vegan leather alternative, as well as recycled PET bottles.
Aeyde
Photo: MediaPunch / Bauer-Griffin
In the past year, Aeyde’s shoes have been spotted on the likes of Gigi Hadid and Jennifer Lawrence, who are both fans of its Mary-Jane ballet flats. For autumn, it’s worth checking out the Berlin-based brand’s kitten-heeled boots – a trending style this season. Aeyde uses Leather Working Group-certified leather (meaning it’s been produced in an environmentally and socially responsible way) for its designs, which are all manufactured in family-run factories in Italy.
Nomasei
Photo: Getty
Chloé alums Marine Braquet and Paule Tenaillon founded Nomasei in 2019 with the aim of creating luxury footwear at a more affordable price. The Paris-based brand now counts Bella Hadid and Blake Lively among its…
