Apple leather, sugar cane, coffee – these are the eco-positive trainers to know now

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Sustainable footwear has never looked so stylish – from apple leather trainers to vegan versions of your classic Stan Smith’s, these are the best sustainable and eco-friendly trainers to buy right now. 

Is there a purer love than that of a woman for her trainers? Striking the perfect balance between casual and cool, there isn’t a single outfit that can’t be rocked with a pair of your favourite sneaks. From Converse with floral dresses and chunky dad-style trainers with slouchy suits to Stan Smiths with, well, absolutely everything, there is a trainer to bring the perfect touch of laid-back luxe (and comfort) to every outfit. 

Now, thanks to the attention of fashion-forward sustainable brands, your favourite shoe just got an environmentally conscious makeover. Enter the new era of vegan, recycled and solvent-free trainers that are as planet-friendly as they are stylish. 

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Nothing beats that box-fresh feeling, but as we consider the environmental impact of our trainers, we’re looking for products that minimise their impact on our planet. The next generation of sustainable footwear designers are creating styles that are deviating from the norm and incorporating ethical practices into their materials and manufacturing processes. Shopping a little smarter will make all the difference to our planet.

From eschewing animal leather by using apple skin leather alternatives to laces made from recycled plastic bottles, the latest fabric innovations mean that you can get the same luxe designs you love while supporting eco-conscious brands.

Want to update your wardrobe with a new pair of trainers while ensuring your new pair is as sustainable as it is stylish? We’ve found the best vegan and ethical trainers available to buy right now – shop our edit of the best sustainable trainers. 

Shop best sustainable trainers

  • Superdry Basket trainers

    Superdry Basket trainers

    As part of the autumn/winter 2020 collection, Superdry has introduced its first step into vegan footwear. The collection has both low and high-top styles and each pair is processed and manufactured using no animal products. 

    Shop Superdry Basket trainers, £64.99

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  • Loci trainers

    Loci vegan trainers

    Available in 13 different colourways, Loci’s unisex sneaker is a cult classic. Made from 100% recycled, vegan materials, this is the ultimate sustainable trainer style. 

    Shop vegan sneaker at Loci, £135

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  • Allbirds Tree Dashers trainers

    Allbirds Tree Dasher trainers

    Allbirds’ sustainability values are truly pioneering. The brand’s all-natural shoes are made from merino wool, eucalyptus tree fibres and sugar cane, and the laces are made from recycled plastic bottles. Not only that, but they’re chic and astonishingly soft; they’re the ultimate guilt-free purchase.

    Shop Allbirds Tree Dasher trainers, £125

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  • Rens Original coffee trainers

    Rens Original coffee trainers

    Rens Original is a Finland-based brand who have made trainers made from coffee waste and recycled plastic. The vegan, eco-friendly and waterproof kicks are also lightweight and ultra-breathable. 

    Shop Rens Original coffee trainers, £99

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  • Good News Palm trainers

    Good News Palm trainers

    Good News has reinvented the classic pump with recycled rubber soles and organic cotton uppers. Also available in stylish pastel tones and multi-coloured woven fabrics. This patterned gingham style is the most versatile of the collection, the perfect shoe to freshen up your wardrobe. 

    Shop Good News Palm trainers, £120

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  • Adidas by Stella McCartney Solarglide trainers

    Adidas by Stella McCartney Solarglide trainers

    The iconic conscious collab that needs no introduction, Adidas by Stella McCartney is brimming with eco wares, most notably its zesty tangerine Solarglide trainers, which provide both style and comfort. 

    Shop Adidas by Stella McCartney Solarglide trainers, £170

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  • Veja Impala trainers

    Veja Impala trainers

    Sustainable powerhouse Veja is famously known for the V-10 that is probably sitting in your wardrobe right now. An alternative style is its new Impala model, whose upper is crafted from conscious mesh, its soles from sugar cane and its laces from recycled polyester.

    Shop Veja Impala trainers, £134

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  • New Balance 574v2 trainers

    New Balance 574v2 trainers

    Based on the label’s signature and fashion-favourite 574 model, this new and improved iteration meets New Balance’s ‘Green Leaf Standard’. This means that the upper is made of 50% recycled content and the supportive leather is responsibly manufactured. 

    Shop New Balance 574v2 trainers, £80

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  • Novesta Itoh trainers

    Novesta Itoh trainers

    Novesta has one simple mission: to “bring to the world a product that is sustainable in the most possible way” throughout the supply chain. Its sneaks are made from naturally durable rubber, which means they feel a little like walking on clouds.

    Shop Novesta Itoh trainers, £149

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Images: Getty; courtesy of brands 

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