Posh Swaps Blog

Vegetarian or vegan shoes are made using materials that are not derived from any animal products. This will include leather and even the glue that is often used to fix shoes together and is made from animal bones.

People wear vegan and vegetarian shoes for a number of reasons. For some it is part of a lifestyle choice which is combined with a preference for not eating meat either due for ethical or animal welfare reasons. For others it is more about the environmental impacts that are associated with the rearing of animals whose skins are used to make the leather and the tanning of the leather which uses a cocktail of damaging chemicals. For some people the choice of vegan shoes is about the choice to live a more healthy and chemical free life.

If you choose to wear vegan and vegetarian shoes you can be sure that animal will have suffered in any way in order to produce your shoes.

But aren’t synthetic alternatives to leather damaging to the environment?

Yes many synthetic alternatives to leather have a significant environmental impact which includes the use non renewable resources (oil) to make them, the pollution caused by their manufacture and their inability to bio degrade at the end of their useful life. Whilst these alternatives may be acceptable for those who don’t wear leather shoes purely because of animal welfare, it is difficult to say whether the different aspects of their environmental impact adds up to more or less than that of leather. If you want to ensure that you are choosing the most eco friendly vegan shoes you should look for the completely natural alternatives to leather. Specialist manufactures of ethical shoes like Po-Zu vegan shoes make natural and bio degradable vegan shoes in a variety of materials including cork, natural latex, coconut husk and organic hemp.

So are vegan and vegetarian shoes as long lasting as leather shoes?

It depends on the type and style of shoe and the material that it is made from. It will also depend on how you look after the shoes. Hemp is incredibly strong and a good alternative to leather for casual shoes. It is also breathable and can be dyed many different colours. If the shoes are manufactured well and looked after they should last well.

Do vegan and vegetarian shoes look as good as leather shoes?

This is all about individual taste. Many people like the look of leather and there are some leather alternatives that look almost identical to leather. However these are usually synthetic and so not great for the environment. Other alternatives to leather include wool, hemp and cork can be made into beautiful, stylish and fashionable shoes. There are plenty of styles available so you should be able to find some that you like the look of.

Vegan and vegetarian shoes are a great way to minimise your impact on the environment aprovided that you choose natural alternatives. You should shop around for great styles that are good to look at, hard wearing and long lasting.

Po-Zu is pleased to announce the launch of its ethical and ecological footwear retail website www.po-zu.com.

The new website now allows customers from all EU countries to buy their Po-Zu shoes direct as well as through the established Po-Zu stockists, including Terra Plana and the Natural Shoe Store in the UK.

Po-Zu is a range of stylish footwear for men and women with an environmental consciousness. They are safe for the people involved in the manufacturing process and their impact on the environment is minimal. Their coconut fibre foot-mattress is not only biodegradable but also provides a uniquely pleasurable walking experience thanks to its springy fibrous structure.

“The beauty of this web store, is that we are able to offer our entire range for the first time under one virtual roof” explains Po-Zu founder Sven Segal. “It’s also about being transparent and accessible. The site has been designed to be as user friendly as possible, and you can easily find our retail store partners there too”.

With extreme hot weather in mind, Po-Zu’s spring-summer line uses sustainable, breathable, and lightweight materials which are kind to our body and the planet. Po-Zu has also expanded its selection of Vegan shoes this season by incorporating organic hemp and cork to over 70% of its entire range.

The cork is produced from the bark of the Cork Oak tree Quecus Suber, which grows
in Portugal where the shoes are produced. The harvesting does not harm the tree and a new layer of cork re-grows, making it a renewable resource. The hemp is organically grown, unbleached, with low-impact dyes, free from heavy metals.

Apart from shoes there are a few accessories on offer like edible shoe cream and coconut shoebox planters. Also, a sweet, short film follows the shoe production route, from the coconut husk in Sri Lanka, through to England and finally Portugal where the shoes are made.

Po-Zu was launched in 2006 by shoe designer Sven Segal with the aim of setting new standards in ecological footwear manufacturing. The shoes are made from carefully-selected natural biodegradable materials, free from harmful chemicals, and organically certified where possible. Harmful glues are avoided by stitching the shoes together, which also makes them more breathable, durable, repairable and recyclable.

The brand’s other goal is to provide maximum comfort and pleasure for the people who wear its shoes, while ensuring the shoes are ethically sourced and manufactured.

Po-Zu’s shoebox was nominated for the UK Green Awards 2006, for best packaging. The biodegradable coconut box can be used as trays to grow seeds. As the plant grows, the entire packaging can placed in the ground where it will decompose and turn into earth.

Following its commitment to produce products that are as non-toxic as possible, Po-Zu launched in 2007 a shoe cream that is so safe it can be eaten. Apart from treating leather, the Edible Shoe Cream is also an all-in-one beauty product that can be used as a lip balm, skin moisturizer, hair conditioner, massage oil and cooking oil. You can even spread it on toast for a nutritious snack.