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There’s a host of sustainability issues to be aware of in shoes, so we’re introducing the brands making more responsible men’s shoes.
Why opt for more sustainable shoes
The sustainability issues associated with shoes can easily be overlooked when so many of the conversations about more responsible fashion revolve around clothes. But the news that shoes from SHEIN were found to contain phthalates more than 200 times above the legal limit only highlights the potential for unsustainable practices in shoe production.
There are also major ethical questions over the use of animal-derived leather—one of the most common materials used for shoes—which comes with health risks to workers involved in the supply chain, too. Meanwhile, plastic-based alternatives to leather such as polyurethane drive greenhouse gas emissions and support the fossil fuel industry, which is one of the biggest drivers of the climate crisis. And when shoes are glued together, toxic chemicals such as benzene and toluene can be involved and pose a risk to workers in factories and the surrounding environment. If that’s not enough to convince you of the case for more sustainable shoes, perhaps the fact that lead 11 times the legal limit was recently detected in the insoles of a pair of Temu’s sandals will.
This all reads like a lot of bad news, and while it’s important to be aware of the myriad of sustainability issues in shoes, know that there are brands out there working to make shoe manufacturing more sustainable by using lower impact materials, offering repair programmes to keep items in circulation for longer, and maintaining better conditions for workers in the supply chain.
So what are the best, more sustainable shoe brands for men? We’ve rounded up 10 items from our favourite makers, which have all been rated “Good” and “Great” against Good On You’s world-leading methodology.
A note on degendering fashion
While this article addresses keywords on men’s shoes, the simple truth is that shoes, clothes, accessories, and the like don’t have any gender. It sometimes seems silly how the industry ascribes gender to inanimate garments like t-shirts, sandals, and socks. We believe people of all genders should be able to express themselves however they want, regardless of the binary marketing. So when you use our directory to search for brands, we automatically deliver search results without any consideration to gender. If you still want to find products labelled as menswear or womenswear, you can use our filters.
Why you can trust our recommendations
At Good On You, we provide trustworthy recommendations that align with your values and needs. Our mission is to simplify informed choices while embracing the “buy less, buy better” motto.
To ensure credibility, we aggregate comprehensive, transparent information on fashion sustainability—assessing brands using our leading methodology, developed by diverse experts. Our ratings directory of over 6,000 brands employs a simple five-point scale, curating a list of “Good” or “Great” brands making significant contributions to sustainable fashion.
Our editorial team, driven by expertise and passion, carefully reviews and approves each recommendation, upholding high standards of quality, longevity, and trend-transcendence.
While we recognise the value of reusing, mending, and second-hand shopping, our expert ratings system guides you toward new brands aligned with your values and sustainability goals.
10 more sustainable men’s shoes
1. Ecoalf @ Shop Like You Give a Damn Aral Sneakers
5. Flamingos’ Life Burela Sneakers
6. 8000Kicks The Crossover Hemp Chelsea Boot
9. Will’s Vegan Store Goodyear Welted Chukka Shoes
