Your Big Guide To UK Ethical Trainers Brands
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Looking for sustainable and eco-friendly trainers? I’ve got heaps of ethical trainer brands available in the UK for you to know.
Did you know that trainers have been rated the most popular shoe in Britain? It’s an unusual popularity contest to win but behind this left-field statistic are some shocking facts. Namely, people aged 25 to 34 own on average, nine pairs of trainers each.
It’s not just the 25 to 34-year-olds that are trainer hoarders. Global Action Plan says that UK teenagers collectively own a staggering 58 million trainers. Almost a third of these shoes – 19 million – were unworn in the last three months.
Why are we so compelled to buy so many pairs of trainers? Are we a nation of fitness fanatics? Maybe. However, a more likely explanation is that the trainer industry has a massive advertising budget to encourage people to buy their trainers.
In 2020, for example, Nike alone spent $3.59 billion USD on advertising. Meanwhile, over the past five years, reports have been circulating that some trainers are a better investment than gold.
Needless to say, we’re clearly sitting on a trainer mountain, that comes with consequences. Global Action Plan says that over 409 Million kgs of carbon emissions are generated in the production of these 58 million pairs of trainers. To put that into context, this is the equivalent of circumnavigating the globe in a medium-sized car almost 50 thousand times.
The UK Ethical & Sustainable Trainers Brands To Know
Whilst it’s undeniably clear that buying fewer trainers is the best for the planet, and for our pockets, buying ethically when we really need a new pair of trainers is also a good step forward.
Thankfully, there’s no shortage of ethical trainers or sneakers to suit all preferences and budgets.
The price range key for this guide is £ = Under £50 | ££ = £50 – 100 | £££ = £100+
Use the quick links below to navigate to a specific brand, or keep scrolling for the full post:
Eco-Sneako
- Budget: £
- Caters for: men (UK sizes 7 – 12) and women (UK sizes 4 – 7)
- Available from Komodo
Eco-Sneako by Komodo is a great budget-friendly sustainable choice. Made with 100% organic cotton uppers and linings, these ethical vegan trainers (available in a range of colours) are lightweight, breathable, and entirely cruelty-free.
The soles are also made from natural rubber. Here, 90% of the rubber is sourced from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified suppliers – meaning it comes from sustainably managed forests. The remaining 10% is recycled natural rubber.
Komodo has been at the forefront of eco-friendly fashion since 1988, championing ethical production and innovative sustainable materials. And a member of 1% for the Planet, Komodo actively supports rainforest restoration through the Sumatran Orangutan Society.
Allbirds
- Price range: ££ – £££
- Caters for: men (UK sizes 7 – 13) and women (UK sizes 2 – 8)
- Available directly from Allbirds
Looking for trainers with a small carbon footprint? Try Allbirds.
Allbirds say that a standard pair of trainers emits 12.5 kg of carbon dioxide. Allbirds also says that its average pair of trainers emits 7.6 kg of carbon dioxide, and it wants to lower that further.
As such, Allbirds ethical trainers are made from natural materials, such as ZQ Merino accredited merino wool grown under strict sustainable farming practices. These include social responsibility, animal welfare, and traceability through the supply chain.
Other materials include recycled plastic bottles, which are used to make shoelaces. Meanwhile, castor bean oil is used to make the insoles for a touch of sustainability in every possible place.
Cariuma
- Price range: ££ – £££
- Caters for: men (UK sizes 4 – 12) and women (UK sizes 2.5 – 10)
- Available directly from Cariuma
Brazillian ethical shoe brand Cariuma makes timeless trainers transparently made from natural materials. Its materials include cork, recycled PET, mamona oil, and leather and suede which is certified by Leather Working Group.
What’s more, to ensure worker safety, no hazardous chemicals are used in Cariuma’s manufacturing process. Instead, it uses Bluesign-certified chemicals (an independently verified scheme) to dye its materials.
Ethletic
- Price range: ££ – £££
- Caters for: men and women (UK sizes 4 – 11)
- Available from Ethical Superstore
For vegan-friendly trainers, try Ethletic Footwear. This brand is proud to offer an ethical alternative to leather trainers. Its vegan trainers are made with organic and Fairtrade-certified cotton, the rubber soles are FSC-certified and sourced responsibly, and the rubber is fairly traded.
Seeking to tick every ethical box for footwear, Ethletic is a fair-trade company, with the environment and sustainability at the core of what it does.
In addition, the pioneering Fairtrade rubber project pays a Fairtrade social premium for every kilo of rubber used in the production of these trainers. The rubber tappers then decide how to use their income to improve their living and working conditions.
Good News
- Price range: ££ – £££
- Caters for: women (UK sizes 3 – 7)
- Available from: Flannels
Good News is a small ethical footwear brand on a mission to improve the environmental and social sustainability of its products. Good News aims to do this by decreasing its carbon, chemical, and water footprint whilst also caring about the people involved in the making of its shoes.
Its trainers are sustainably made from organic and recycled materials. This includes organic cotton, hemp, and tencel. And for an added touch of green, the soles are made from recycled materials – a mix of car tyres and old rubber shoes!
Novesta
- Price range: ££ – £££
- Caters for: men (UK sizes 8 – 10) and women (UK sizes 3 – 8)
- Available from Toast
Novesta’s ethical and vegan-friendly trainers are made in Slovakia with a cotton upper and a natural rubber sole, for a natural and eco-friendly approach to footwear.
Specialising in quality and handmade construction, Novesta is committed to manufacturing shoes according to the highest environmental standards.
Every shoe is hand-finished by Novesta’s craftsmen, and every shoe is as comfortable as its cutting-edge design.
Veja
- Price range: ££ – £££
- Caters for: men (UK sizes 6 – 12) and women (UK sizes 3 – 9)
- Available at Selfridges
This cult organic, fair trade and ethical trainers brand uses eco-conscious fabrics such as recycled and organic cotton, recycled plastic bottles, and sustainably harvested wild rubber to make its stylish ethical trainers. What’s more, workers are paid a fair price for their labour.
If you are vegan, then it’s important to note that not all of Veja’s trainers are vegan. However, Veja does have a huge range of vegan ethically-made trainers. This means that if you are specifically looking for vegan trainers then you are well-catered for.
More Sustainable Footwear Guides
Looking for more ethical footwear ideas? I’ve got you covered.
- I’ve got a big guide to stylish ethical shoes
- Try my guide to ethically made vegan shoes if you prefer to avoid animal-based fabrics and materials.
- If you need rain boots, see my big guide to ethical wellies.
- And for cosy toes, see my guide to ethical slippers.
And don’t forget, caring for your shoes so that they last longer is a key part of being more sustainable. If you’re looking for some trainer care tips, check out my guide on how to wash trainers to help keep your favourite pairs looking newer for longer.
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Looks great. Thanks for sharing.