Now, more than ever, the sneaker is our friend. With a weekly routine that could consist of any mixture of working out, working from home, commuting to the office, and then walking the same six-block neighborhood radius, comfort and ease rule just about every sartorial decision we make — and sneakers check off each of those boxes (with added bonus points for personal-style expression, too). But when it comes to sustainability, our favorite supportive shoe isn't always as eco-friendly.
Many sneakers can be heavy on non-biodegradable synthetics, which ultimately contributes to the pile-up of plastic that’s seeping into every surface on the planet (even the atmosphere). But, luckily, there's a growing host of footwear brands working to come up with a more sustainable solution: styles with all the bounce, comfort, and swag that we look for in a tennis shoe, without all of the waste and environmental degradation that's commonly associated with sneakers.
If you're in the market for a new pair of sustainable sneakers, then you've come to the right page. Do the planet (and your feet) a favor by shopping with one of our favorite eco-conscious-kick creators ahead — from Reformation to Veja.
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Everyone is stepping into the eco-conscious space, and it's about time. Reformation is one of the brands leading the pack, as the label has put sustainable practices at the forefront of its business model. The Harlows are created from past Reformation products and are crafted in Brazil from soft cow leather that's tanned without using harmful materials. After a year of releasing its fully recyclable sneaker, the shoe is still a must-have item as colorways and sizes consistently get sold out.
Reformation Harlow Leather Sneaker, $, available at Reformation
Toms
Since day one, Toms has been dedicated to using vegan and sustainable materials like recycled polyester, natural hemp, and organic cotton for its shoes. While people recognize the brand for its effortless slip-ons, it also makes easy-to-wear sneakers. This knit style is a prime example. It's comfy, matches any attire, and is sustainable. (The shoe is partially made from Repreve, a recycled polyester blend from used plastic bottles.)
TOMS Alpargata Resident Slip-On Sneaker, $, available at Nordstrom
Nike
Introducing your staple Nike shoe, but with an eco-friendly revamp. It's made with at least 20% recycled material from post-consumer and post-manufactured waste, so you can freely buy more. And it doesn't comprise the crisp white aesthetic, durability, and support it's known for.
If you absolutely despise laces, you'll get a kick out of this. (No pun intended.) Axel Arigato's Clean 360 Laceless is a reinvention of the classic Clean 360. Everything from the shoe to the dust bag is made from recycled materials like rubber and polyester — the packaging is also FSC certified. On top of that, the Swedish brand has a product footprint section for each shoe where you can follow the supply chain.
Axel Arigato Clean 360 Laceless Sneaker, $, available at Axel Arigato
Everlane
Everlane's sustainable mini-line, ReLeather Sneakers, consists of two classic styles: the Trainer and the Court, a skate-inspired shoe designed for daily wear. With a Leather Working Group-approved hide constituting the shoe's upper and a sole made from a blend of natural and recycled rubber that's 94.6% free of virgin plastic, it's a chic, environmentally friendly choice.
VEJA Vegan Leather Urca Sneakers, $, available at Madewell
Allbirds
Every material that goes into an Allbirds shoe — whether it’s the brand’s lightweight Runner, polished Tree Breezer, or high-impact Dasher — is sustainable, renewable, and/or recycled. Natural materials like merino wool (from humanely raised sheep), tree-based Tencel Lyocell, and rainwater-fed sugarcane co-exist with recycled synthetics like plastic and nylon to create a shoe that’s sublimely comfortable and eco-friendly.
Allbirds Women's Tree Dasher 2, $, available at Allbirds
Reecycled by Reebok
Check out Reebok’s Reecycled (cute) landing page for activewear made from recycled fabrics — the assortment includes these throwback trainers reminiscent of the brand’s ’80s heyday. Not only do the sneakers boast vintage curb appeal, but they’re made from leather and textile with a minimum of 50% recycled content. It’s a running start for the behemoth exercise brand — we hope it's in it for the marathon.
Reebok Zig Dynamica 4 Women's Shoes, $, available at Reebok
Converse Renew
Through its “Renew” imprint, this forever-cool sneaker brand has experimented with a host of fabrications, including using cotton canvas scraps from their own manufacturing excess and repurposed denim sourced from European vintage purveyor Beyond Retro for range of patch-worked, earth-hued classic Chuck Taylors.
Converse Chuck 70 Canvas, $, available at Converse
Adidas
The elder states-shoe of sport is upping its eco-friendly cred with the recent relaunch of its classic tennis sneakers. The new iteration is free of virgin polyester, with an upper constructed from the brand’s proprietary recycled fabric, Primegreen.
This London-based brand is known for its cheerful collection of chunky-soled street sneakers, all of which featured a recycled rubber outsole and an insole made from recycled rubber and castor bean oil. The fabrics used in their eye-catching uppers are made from organic cotton and biodegradable wool.
In our search for the best pair, we've discovered a high-top Good News sneaker with a fashionable quilted exterior. Although it's a different take on the brand's usual cotton variations, the shoe is still sustainable.
Good News Roopa Quilted High-Top Sneaker, $, available at Urban Outfitters
Greats
This DTC shoe imprint turns out just a few impeccably designed styles — one of which, the Royale, is available with a knit upper woven from discarded plastic bottles. (Seven of them, to be exact.)
GREATS The Royale Knit Sneaker, $, available at GREATS
Nothing New
These super-minimal sneakers are the brainchild of Thursday Boot Company founder Noah Walsh, who set out to make a shoe that was 100% sustainable. Check out the handy-dandy diagram on the brand’s website, detailing every recycled fiber that’s used in the shoe’s construction — right down to the regenerated-plastic shoelaces.
The brand even has a virtuous circle program and offers $20 off new kicks to any customer who sends their old Nothing New shoes back for recycling.
Nothing New Classic High Top, $, available at Nothing New
Cariuma
This Brazilian sneaker brand was founded in 2018 by two friends who wanted to create stylish footwear without the needless waste they’d witnessed working in the accessories industry. Their street-friendly kicks are available in cotton canvas or a breathable knit made from super-renewable bamboo, and come with cushy insoles made from cork and mamona oil.
Stella McCartney — a pioneering runway brands in the eco-friendly design space — has been using recycled polyester to create her high-fashion footwear since 2012.
Stella McCartney Loop Lace-up Sneakers, $, available at Stella McCartney
Saucony
Earlier this year, the heritage sneaker brand introduced a low-impact version of their iconic Jazz Court tennis shoe, manufactured with renewable fabrics like cotton, jute, wool, rubber, wood, gardenia, and beet. (They also made sure to use wool that was humanely harvested.) Even better, it ships in an ink-free, 100% recycled shoebox without excess interior stuffing.
The day before London Fashion Week was scheduled to take over the city to present its fall 2023 collections, the industry said goodbye to its queen of fashion: Dame Vivienne Westwood, the British designer known as a pioneer of punk rock style, whose memorial took place earlier this week. But if you think this means the sartorial mood outside the shows right now is sombre, think again.
Time and time again, London Fashion Week street style has honored its roots, channelling the spirit of the late, great Londonites who helped turn the city into the fashion capital it is today. Westwood's rebellious twist on classic silhouettes and tartan prints continues to influence how hardcore scenesters take to the London streets, while gabardine fabrics, reportedly invented by Mr Burberry himself, as always abound.
Of course, fashion's biggest trends (platform shoes, utilitarian attire, dressed up denim, etc.) are also out in full force. Interspersed with the ever-present trench coats, scarves, suiting and layers at the core of cold-weather attire, these covetable looks have us all actually wishing for a bit of rain.
For all the best inspo from the editors, influencers and celebrities at London Fashion Week, we’ve rounded up some of their most swoon-worthy ensembles ahead.
Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.Photographed by Mariana dos Santos Pires.
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When you live somewhere that rains all the time, you become very discerning about your choice of outerwear. I’m based in London, a city notorious for having miserable, gray weather — and hunting down the perfect weatherproof coat is a serious challenge.
A puffer jacket seems like an obvious choice, but for some reason, I just can’t get behind the quilted stitching, which reminds me of the Michelin man. I’d love to invest in something high quality, but brands like Patagonia or The North Face are just too far out of my budget. This conundrum was what led me to the Orolay Hooded Winter Parka Coat.
The Chinese brand might sound familiar if you have been following our shopping content: We have previously covered the brand, then known as the viral “Amazon coat” that caused a buying frenzy on NYC’s Upper East Side. But its internet fame isn’t the main reason I wanted to give the brand a try. This down parka is both waterproof and windproof, according to the website — and you can purchase it on Amazon for just $160.
Keep reading for my honest opinion of the coat, how it fared on a recent windy and stormy road trip, and whether it should form a piece of your winter essential wardrobe.
The first thing I noticed about this jacket is how lightweight it is. It’s nowhere near as bulky as the other down puffer coats I’ve owned in the past. The hem stops right below the knee for me — a much-appreciated detail since this type of outwear usually overwhelms my petite frame. The silhouette is very streamlined, with two massive diagonal pockets in the front, which are both functional and chic.
Little design details, like the silver double-stripe detailing across the back of the coat and the Orolay brand embroidery on the arms, also won me over. The parka has the look of a more expensive item, like the Canada Goose Expedition Parka, but for a fraction of the price.
“There were a few times when the heavens opened and I walked in the pouring rain, but I remained bone-dry under the coat.”
I broke this coat in on a trip to Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands, where it rained nonstop for three days and the wind felt pretty close to gale force. The parka was up to the task in every way: Thanks to the elastic cuffs, none of the chill was able to escape past my wrists. The whole piece had wide zippers that can be done up in a flash. A big, fluffy hood also kept my head toasty, and I appreciated the tall neckline, which made not bringing a scarf with me not a problem. I opted for a size small, which fit me perfectly as a petite person, with the hem hitting just above my knees.
Since the jacket itself was not very thick, I credit its warmth to the 90% pure white duck down filling, which had no odor whatsoever. The brand does make it clear that it’s received certification from the Responsible Down Standard (RDS). This means that the farms supplying the materials have met the animal welfare standards set by the organization.
When it comes to repelling water, the polyester outer material worked like a dream. There were a few times when the heavens opened and I walked in the pouring rain, but I remained bone-dry under the coat. Liquid droplets do not sink into the fabric, so you can easily dab everything dry with a tissue or towel. I did find that using a kitchen towel to dry the coat left a few white marks on the surface, but they could be quickly buffed away.
My final verdict? If I could live in this coat, I would. It has been the top outwear piece in my rotation for the last couple months, and my go-to whenever it starts to get chilly, or when the weather forecast says there’s a chance of rain. The stripe detailing on the back slightly glows in the dark, which is a nice safety detail as it helps you get seen by cars when you are walking or cycling at nighttime.
The parka is so effortless and stylish, and it completely does what it says on the label — cuddle you in warmth while shielding you from bad winds and storms. I can’t wait to wear it to the ground in the many winters to come.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
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