14 best vegan trainers that tread lightly on the planet

A loud sneaker from Kurt Geiger, these are registered with The Vegan Society, and are for us, a standout. With a cool, bold aesthetic, blocks of mesh, pastel pink and mauve panels team with fun style quirks – think unusually arranged laces and pops of purple. There’s a lot going on, but it all works.

The quality is evident just from looking at these, and when it came to actually slipping our feet into them, our first impressions were confirmed. Robust and well-made, they’re also dreamily comfortable from the get-go. The thick and dynamic sole feels sturdy, but what we really noticed was how grounded our feet felt when walking around. Perfect if you don’t like bounding around on bulbous shoes, but want that look.

The upper materials have a nice flex to them, but our feet felt well supported. They’re fairly wide, and we found they were lovely and breathable. With all this in mind, while they’re not cheap, their value for money is excellent. Kurt Geiger really stepped up with these.

If the name of the game is cheap and cheerful, M&S has you covered with these simple lace-ups. Crafted from PU faux leather, they feature an (almost) all-white colour scheme to go with pretty much anything, while the mushroom brown manages to elevate these beyond a basic look.

They’re nicely padded, particularly around the top of the heel (no blisters here, thank you), and were extremely comfortable fresh out of the box, remaining that way throughout the day. Light as a feather, the brand says that they’ve been designed to help with the positioning of your foot within the shoe – and our tester was pleased with the level of support they offered. The outsole is sturdy, while the heel has a reassuring stiffness to it. Our one gripe is that they don’t feel particularly breathable, but for a smart, inexpensive pair that you can reach for on repeat, these are a great option.

Hailing from Los Angeles-born footwear label Clae, these are very chic, with an off-white, slightly grainy finish affording a retro look. Crafted from apple skin, made from leftover apple fibres from the juice industry, they need to be on your radar if eco-conscious materials are as important as style to you.

In terms of fit, they don’t have a lot in the way of padding – compared to some of the other trainers we tried – but this didn’t affect their fresh-out-of-the-box comfort. Tapered towards the tip of the toe-box, they look relatively narrow, but this didn’t translate to a narrow feel. They didn’t let us down when it came to breathability, thanks to ventilation holes in the toe-box, which was proved during a long night spent almost entirely on our feet. One of our new firm favourites for a reason.

With its styles previously worn by Mila Kunis, Ben Affleck and Eva Longoria, celebrity-approved vegan sneaker brand Loci caught our attention with these cool, classic trainers. Handmade, and inspired by skatewear, their two-tone design really pops in the forest green, cream and white colourway – but they’re also available in softer hues.

Showcasing the premium label’s eco conscious ethos, the supple and buttery smooth vegan bio-leather upper blends recycled textiles and non-food grade corn waste. Similarly, the pair is lined with bamboo and recycled nylon, while the cork and recycled foam insoles (which look great) point to these being a considered, well-made pair.

Supremely comfortable, we noticed no pinching or pressure points at all. The perforated toe-box offered a generous amount of wriggle room, and the tongue boasted a small amount of padding. We also noted that while not chunky, they boast a reassuring weightiness. Put simply, these are really, really good trainers.

Ration.L founder Kavita Basi coined her vegan fashion label after recovering from a life-threatening brain haemorrhage, the catalyst for wanting to turn her interest in sustainability into something more. The footwear and apparel label holds a B Corp certification which, covering myriad elements of ethical and sustainable practices, is no mean feat.

Sleek, contemporary, cool, the sneaker collection reimagines a simple silhouette in different monochrome hues, for a pared-back look that we really love. Certified by The Vegan Society, the playful pastel blue tone instantly uplifted our outfits. The laces are made with organic cotton, while the eyelets are made from certified recycled aluminium. Crafted from certified non-toxic PU, the smooth, flexible upper didn’t show any signs of creasing after a day’s wear and flexed with our movements, so while snug, these aren’t restrictive. The outsole feels nice and sturdy, too.

It’s recommended you size up if you’re in between sizes, which we did, and found the fit secure. And all for a very reasonable price point. And, five per cent of profits from each pair will go to The Brain & Spine Foundation Charity.

Synonymous with retro, Gola has stepped up with its The Vegan Society registered collection. Drawing inspiration from the original sported by tennis pro Mark Cox, these trainers feature the Gola’s original branding in blue faux leather, a vintage blue and gold coloured heel tab, and gold-coloured branding on the tongue, affording interest to an otherwise pared-back design.

While we enjoyed the level of breathability the cotton canvas offered, and think these are a perfect pick for when warm, dry weather hits, it’s worth keeping in mind that they will become mucky and wet quickly, and will be difficult to clean. That said, the malleable fabric ensured immediate comfort, owing to no rubbing or pressure points. Gola doesn’t offer half sizes so we had to size up, and we’re glad we did, as the high-top silhouette ensured they always felt secure.

Loved by the likes of Emily Ratajkowski and Kate Middleton, Veja uses innovative materials (think plastic bottles and natural rubber) to make its sustainable shoes. This vegan version of one of the label’s bestselling styles is made using organic cotton, Amazonian rubber, natural latex and recycled polyester. The faux leather upper is smooth and sleek, while the sole is bouncy and supportive. Attesting to its quality, the leather feels slightly stiff on initial wear but soon loosens up and moulds to your feet.

Our thin feet were snug in the shoes, so those with wide feet should probably steer clear (we would have struggled to get them on without the aid of the large pull tabs). The chunky silhouette gives the trainers a contemporary feel while the white finish will slot easily into your existing wardrobe, whether styled with jeans or midi dresses. Yes, they’re pricey but the style is timeless.

Corail’s trailblazing trainers are made from marine waste collected in France by the brand’s fisherman crew. Doing its bit to tackle marine pollution, Corail uses an innovative fabric made from algae, grown in a sustainable way, while the seawood is harvested and crushed. We love the nod to this process in the bold green sole (seawood is injected into the transparent sole), giving the trainers a splash of colour.

The insole is made from soft organic cotton while the recycled rubber outsoles have a nice bounce to them. Made in a family workshop in Portugal, the trainers are built to last. Inspired by vintage running shoes, the trainers boast a chunky silhouette, contrast panelling and hints of green on the tongue. Aside from the green sole, the trainers have a minimalist finish that will complement most things in your wardrobe.

Boasting an almost formidable commitment to sustainability, premium, Peta-approved label Humans Are Vain is one to watch. Producing its sneakers in small, limited batches, it upcycles old pairs into fresh ones, once they’ve been sent back at the end of their life.

Chic, supportive and comfortable, these did not disappoint. The outsole looks quite hefty with its slightly rounded, fashion-forward silhouette, but for us, it’s not too OTT. The jagged inside edge is also a cool touch. Soft air mesh panelling crafted from corn seeds (for a lower carbon footprint) leans into the sporty aesthetic, and the fresh, all-white colour scheme dazzled when we opened the box, and of course, will pair well with pretty much anything.

These feel breathable and surprisingly lightweight on our feet, despite their heft. As for materials, they feature an eco-microfibre lining and an in-sock made from recycled plastic and natural corn fibre. Meanwhile, the recycled rubber platform sole and the insole padding, made from recycled cork and foam, created a cushioned experience. They offer a nice bounce too, which almost propelled us forward, doing some of the walking for us.

Keep in mind that these came up slightly small on our us, which meant we were missing a little wriggle room in the toe-box.

The Adidas Stan Smiths are a classic that, despite their impressive longevity, still feel fresh. To reduce their footprint on the planet, sustainably-focused materials have been incorporated into the construction of this vegan-friendly redesign.

The perforated upper has been graced with a smooth, relatively supple vegan material, which is made with 50 per cent recycled content. As for the soles, these are made from recycled rubber waste. While the whole shoe feels wonderfully lightweight, we noticed, with their low-profile silhouette, they still feel sturdy, with superior construction. Insole padding and a large, flexible tongue afford comfort, but the heel is quite stiff, so may require wearing in.

If it’s truly timeless trainers you’re looking for, the Stan Smiths are well deserving of a spot in your sneak rotation.

Specialising in bio-based and recycled trainers, Saye champions creating footwear in the most eco conscious way possible. In order to reduce its carbon footprint, it manufactures its shoes locally. But how do these sustainable efforts translate into its trainers? Well, we’ve had this pair for more than two years and still wear them on repeat.

The retro design is particularly cool and simple enough to pair with everything in your wardrobe, but most importantly the soft vegan leather makes them comfortable and the footbed is cushioned enough to not require wearing in. The bamboo lining, which makes them breathable, has impressed us on countless warm days. What’s more, should you get them dirty, they’re easy to clean.

Looking for vegan running shoes designed to tread lightly on the planet? Hylo Athletics is a name worth your time. The brand has very recently debuted a pair of vegan running trainers: the Hylo impact. The upper is made with an alternative to synthetic materials: a knitted, bio-based nylon derived from castor beans. When they’ve finished their final mile, they can be sent back to the brand to be up-cycled into fresh new pairs, which we really rate.

Supremely cushy and comfortable, the impact trainers are a delight to wear. They’re featherlight, with a wide toe bed that leaves plenty of room, and energy return is super. There’s also a high level of cushioning, which we appreciated while running downhill. Caught in the rain, they managed really well, and kept our feet impressively dry, owing to their water-repellent upper. The outsole was grippy when turning corners on wet ground, which makes sense, when you consider their inspiration was a Formula 1 racing tyre.

While substance over style is paramount when picking running shoes, we think these deserve applause for marrying a comfortable ride with good looks. In fact, we were more than happy to don them as everyday footwear, too.

A refreshing diversion from bright white sneakers, these hail from Superga’s vegan range. Made from organic cotton, the upper has been coloured with natural plant-based dye, so the colour may differ slightly from one shoe to the next, according to the brand. Meanwhile, the cork insock fits in nicely with this natural, subtle colour scheme.

The style is understated but beefed up with a chunky, solid outsole made with partly recycled vulcanised natural rubber. The platform also provides extra height, which goes some way towards protecting the upper from splashes and dirt. Despite the outsole being relatively chunky and the ankle being quite low, these didn’t slip off of our heel as we walked. Keep in mind that the outsole does show the dirt quite a bit, but the worst of it can be wiped clean.

Hemp is a time-tested, natural fibre hailed for its strength and durability – in fact, it’s even stronger than steel. Making an equally strong case for using hemp in trainers, this explorer V2 pair is wonderfully lightweight, and is billed as the first waterproof style of its kind. There’s a protective, splash-proof coating and a waterproof membrane, providing two lines of defence against soggy socks.

Hemp also boasts environmental benefits, as it has a smaller carbon footprint than cotton and polyester, and a much smaller footprint than leather. One pair of this brand’s trainers will be responsible for 4.1kg of CO2, compared with up to 100kg for a leather pair, according to the brand.

Meanwhile, you can cast aside any expectations you might have about hemp shoes only coming in dusty brown hues, as we tested a navy blue colourway. We did find the trainers came up slightly small, so, you might want to go up a half size.