9 Innovative Boot Brands To Know This Fall (and Beyond)
Boots are the unofficial shoe of the chilly season. Whether you’re looking for a boot that hits at your ankle, calf, or thigh, these boot brands will help you give back to the Earth and look cute while doing it! We’ve compiled a list of 9 sustainable and ethically-made boot brands so you can find your next cold-weather wardrobe staple!
(...there might be a surprise 10th option at the end 😉.)
1. Alohas
Alohas are designed in Barcelona, handcrafted in Alicante, and produced by artisans in nearby production facilities. Their pre-order system is set up so they only produce the amount of shoes they’re actually going to sell. These dual-toned boots are an immediate add-to-cart, but Alohas has boot designs for people with all different tastes and aesthetics!
2. Good Guys
Good Guys sources all of their material in Europe and uses vegan Oekotex Standard 100 Class approved and REACH (no chemicals) certified microfibers to give their boots a classic leather feel. In 2020, they also introduced APPLESKIN™, a material made from organic waste from the apple juice industry in Bolzano, Italy.
3. Merry People
Merry People combines modern design with versatility to bring a fun yet classic waterproof boot. They use 100% waterproof natural rubber on the outside to keep feet dry and line their boots with 4mm neoprene to provide warmth and comfort all day long. They also offer customers a 12-month warranty on their boots!
Bring a pop of color to your outfits all year round! Based in Los Angeles, Zig Zag Goods takes inspiration from “sunny skies and dry summer air,” reflected in pieces designed to remind the wearer of the fun colors of their youth. Zig Zag Goods aims for sustainability and lifelong durability in all their pieces.
Founded in 2013 by Aurora James, Brother Vellies was started with the goal of “keeping traditional African design practices and techniques alive, while also creating and sustaining artisanal jobs.” The brand uses a number of by-products and repurposed materials sourced from farmers across the globe, such as vegetable-tanned leathers, soling from recycled tires, hand-carved wood, and floral-dyed feathers.
6. Nomasei
Founders Paule Tenaillon and Marine Braquet have worked for some of Paris' most prestigious luxury houses (Chloé, Louis Vuitton, and Givenchy, among others). Nomasei details their commitments to sustainability and ethical production here.
7. VIRÓN
VIRÓN uses as few new materials as possible, opting for ethically sourced and recycled materials. Their favorite leather substitute is APPLESKIN™, a vegan leather made from food waste from the apple juice industry in Italy. Their faux suede is also made of recycled PET bottles. Customers can also send back their old pairs of shoes and VIRÓN will find a way to repurpose them. Learn more about their sustainability commitments here!
8. Ecoalf
Ecoalf aims to limit the consumption of natural resources and instead uses materials like recycled polyester, recycled nylon, recycled wool, and recycled cotton to reduce their CO2 emissions and the amount of water they consume in production. They are a Global Recycling Standard (GRS) certified brand.
9. VIVAIA
Knitwear doesn’t just mean sweaters. Sustainable shoe brand VIVAIA has developed a method of creating knit boots from discarded PET plastic bottles from the ocean and premium wool. In conjunction with their factory, they have developed a method to produce the threads that are knitted in order to create a durable and comfortable boot out of plastic bottles and wool. Their boots are also washable!
Any Thrifted Boot You Love!
Sustainable Baddie understands that the prices for ethically and sustainably made boots can range from affordable to painfully out of budget. Buying secondhand is a great sustainable alternative that will extend the life cycle of any boot you find, and you may even find a secondhand pair from one of the brands listed above!
Feeling a little wary about buying shoes someone else's feet have been in? Check out our breakdown on thrifting shoes (spoiler alert, it’s funky!). There's a cute pair of boots just waiting to be adopted by you on an online reselling marketplace or at your nearest thrift store!
What susty boots will you be wearing this fall?