Vegetarian Shoes
Vegetarian shoes, while having a small but active following, is still a rather niche market still. Vegetarian shoes are essentially shoes that are not made from animal products. The types of vegetarian shoes on the market today will astound you. While these shoes are definitely a statement of sorts, the vast majority of vegetarians aren't too interested in proclaiming out loud that they're wearing vegetarian shoes.
Instead, they simply want a nice pair of trendy and stylish shoes that are ethically produced and contain no animal based products. Additionally, many vegetarians focus on diet, not what they wear or use on a daily basis. For that reason, some would have no problems purchasing a car with leather seats. For others however, it extends to every part of their life and encompasses all the products they use. Ethical shoes used to be quite difficult to find outside of specialty stores.
The selection was small and you sometimes had to travel far to come across such specialty stores. But with the advent of the internet, we now have access to a myriad of products. All that is needed is a computer, an internet connection and a credit card. For that reason, vegetarian shoes are now very easy to come by. Additionally, there are a lot more varieties of vegan footwear than there was before. It is a thriving niche that has seen even top designers come out with their own varieties. Having said that, vegetarian shoes aren't merely for those that do not eat meat.
They are suitable for anyone that wants an alternative to the generically made varieties that flood the market year after year. They are also eco-friendly and are ultimately kind to our planet as they are usually recyclable and biodegradable. So lets take a look at some of the top vegetarian footwear brands on the market today. Beyond skin is the first company we'll be focusing on. They are also my favorite 100% vegan shoemaker. They are a British company that started up in 2001 with the intention of filing the void that the vegan market had at the time. They also wanted to keep their operations close to home. However, after a few failures, they have since moved their production line to Spain.
Beyond skin produces some of the most stunning women's footwear for the market today, vegan or non-vegan. They are trendy, stylish and downright sexy. Their products have caught the eye of one celebrity in particular, Natalie Portman. As such, she has been seen on numerous occasions wearing their products. Beyond skin has also been the recipient of numerous awards from PETA, Drapers as well as Vegan Society. If you're looking for stylish heels or casual vegan wear, try Beyond Skin. Terra Plana is another great British company that produced ethical footwear for the market. Their shoes are produced in a number of factories in China which they work very close with. All materials for their goods are sourced local to these factories. They are audited by international NGO's. They are popular for their Vivobarefeet technology which is a thin patented sole that promotes natural walking. All their shoes are biodegradable and they make some very stylish shoes for the modern era.
