vegan leather shoes made from grape resin and recycled PET

What Vegan Shoes Mean to SAOLA

Vegan shoes go beyond diet — they’re part of a lifestyle that avoids animal-derived materials in fashion and everyday products. In this article, we explain what makes a shoe “vegan,” why it matters, and how it ties into protecting the planet.

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By Maro LaBlanceOct 21, 2019

Vegan shoes? Do they avoid meat and dairy too? Dietary restrictions are confusing. But when it comes to vegan shoes, it's pretty simple. Vegan shoes lessen our impact on the environment, and make for badass-looking, sustainable kicks to boot!

Vegan shoes: what does this mean?

So what does "vegan" mean? According to T he Vegan Society, "veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose." What started as a diet is now becoming a lifestyle. Vegans avoid not just meat and fish, but also all animal products like cheese, eggs, and even honey. Vegans also steer clear of things like apparel, shampoo, shoes, and other lifestyle items that contain or use animal products like leather, silk, or fur. Naturally, they also avoid products tested on animals. The goal? Vegans want to prevent animal cruelty and environmental degradation – for example, clearing land for farming and animal grazing, which leads to species endangerment.

Makes sense to us.

What about SAOLA?

When we started out, being a vegan shoe company was not our top priority. Our focus was to use eco-friendly materials and lessen our impact on the planet as much as possible. After months of research, we found the materials we are using today. Our summer collections are made with over 70% recycled and bio-based materials. And the kicker? They are vegan. We know this is not the "perfect" solution (ideally they would be 100% recycled or bio-based), but instead, it's a step in the right direction.

So is SAOLA a 100% vegan brand?
Not quite. While the vast majority of our shoes are made entirely without animal-derived materials, we’ve never claimed to be a 100% vegan brand. Why? Because one of our best-selling styles — the Cannon Knit 2.0 Wool — features a material we believe in: ZQ Merino wool.

This wool isn’t just soft, breathable, and renewable — it’s also the most ethical wool available on the market. ZQ-certified wool follows strict animal welfare guidelines. Sheep are treated with respect, roam freely on pasture, and are cared for by farmers who meet high standards of nutrition, health, and living conditions.

To learn more about what sets ZQ Merino apart, check out zqmerino.com.

For all other styles, our shoes are 100% vegan — made with materials like recycled PET and vegan leather from grape resin. So whether you follow a vegan lifestyle or simply care about protecting animals and the planet, SAOLA’s got you covered.

After deciding on the materials, the only other component that would make our shoes non-vegan was the glue. So, we asked our supplier to use a glue that contains no animal ingredients (including pork-based products). And voila!

In the future, we aim to continue our focus on sustainability and environmentally-friendly materials. Whatever materials come, you can ensure they will be ethically sourced, and nicer to Mother Nature.

Join us and #MAKEANIMPACT

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