Published on The Holloway Express at https://hollowayexpress.org.uk/step-out-in-style-with-vegan-shoes/
If you are a Carrie Bradshaw hunting for breath-taking shoes and crazy tall high heels but want to become a more compassionate shopper, this is the right place to start.
Here’s a quick and easy guide to help you identify the animal-derived materials used in your shoes, making for a kinder closet and a happier planet.
The place to begin your search is the sticker on the bottom of the shoe. The annoying sticky piece of plastic is a pictogram that introduces you to the three components of a shoe: the Upper where the laces are, the Outer Sole and the Lining and Sock or the inside. Sometimes it can be very tricky to understand and find these symbols, especially for vegan virgins.
The labels are the key to crack the mystery of vegan fashion. They list all the different materials used to fabricate your footwear. The main components used by shoemakers are coated leather, leather, textile or other materials.
Cowhide symbol – means that the product is made, at least in part, from leather
Coated leather symbol – similar to the leather one but with a diamond shape inside it
These are the two symbols to watch out for. They indicate that the items you are about to buy contain animal skin.
Textile symbol and other materials symbol – these mean that the shoes are made with either fabric such as cotton, or materials that are not leather nor textile. These include faux leather, PVC and rubber
Diamond shape symbol – means that the material is man-made and therefore animal skin have not been used
So if you are looking for an animal-free style then you will want to avoid leather and coated leather symbols and look for the textile and other materials label.
If you cannot find the sticker underneath the shoes, try to look label attached to the front of the shoe box, inside the shoe on the flap, sock lining or the back of the shoe.
All these labels will tell you the stock number, brand, size and colour. At the end, if it reads “man-made materials” then the shoes are vegan.
Unfortunately, there is still no legislation that specifies what can and cannot be marketed as vegan clothing. Big corporations and brands sometimes misguide consumers and “trick” them into buying fake vegan garments. For example, a pair of winter boots could be made out of vegan leather but still have animal glue. So how can costumer be sure to purchase 100% vegan shoes?
Samantha Calvert, spokesperson for The Vegan Society says: “If the shoes are labelled as suitable for vegans then the manufacturer or retailer is saying that they are vegan and do not contain any animal products. Some high street chains have recently started to do this including New Look.”
Yvonne Taylor, 48, Director of Corporate Projects at PETA says: “It’s very much down to the consumer to stay informed. However, in response to the fact that today’s conscious consumers are more interested in animal-friendly options than ever before, the biggest high-street brands – such as Marks & Spencer and Topshop – are clearly labelling their vegan ranges.”
“Animal fur has been sold on the high street labelled as faux fur, which is why it’s important that consumers stay vigilant.” says Taylor.
Another way to check if you are buying vegan shoes is trusting your senses. Leather is rougher at the touch and is scratched and wrinkled. It also has a strong musty smell. Leather will also absorb a small drop of water whereas fake leather won’t.
If you are still unsure, find out the name or style number and google it. PETA has a complete Approved-Vegan list with companies and brands that are ethical and vegan.
“The easiest way to be sure that your shoes are vegan is to buy from one of the brands using the “PETA-Approved Vegan” logo or check out some of the labels that have been celebrated with a PETA Fashion Award for their animal-free footwear.” says Taylor.
The PETA-Approved Vegan logo can be found on tabs, labels and webpages, store signs and social media platforms. The logo guarantees that the company did not kill or abuse any animals to produce their lines. Not all companies that produce entirely vegan products use this logo.
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