Best Sustainable Hiking Boots and Shoes
Estimated reading time: 13 minutes
I will readily admit that I am hiking-obsessed. My partner and I live as eco-friendly nomads, and the very first thing I do when we decide on our next destination is look into where to hit the trails. I find being out in nature the ultimate adventure. As nomads, we live a minimalist lifestyle, and we don’t have the option of owning multiple different pairs of footwear.
When it comes time for a new pair of hiking boots or shoes, sustainability, versatility, and comfort are key for us. I’ve looked into the best earth-friendly and sustainable hiking boots and shoes to help you decide the next time you wear out your current ones from all of your environmentally friendly recreation!
Key Takeaways:
Hiking Boots:
- The best sustainable unisex hiking boots are Keen’s Circadia Waterproof Hiking Boots – JUMP TO SECTION
- The best sustainable and responsible hiking boots for men are WVSport Waterproof Hiking Boots from Will’s Vegan Store – JUMP TO SECTION
- The best sustainable hiking boots for women are Merrell’s Moab 3 MID ECO Hiking Boots – JUMP TO SECTION
Hiking Shoes:
- The best sustainable unisex shoes are Hoka’s Speedgoat 5 GTX – JUMP TO SECTION
- The best sustainable hiking shoes for men are Teva’s Ridgeview Low – JUMP TO SECTION
- The best sustainable hiking shoes for women are Vivo Barefoot Shoe’s Primus Trail III All Weather – JUMP TO SECTION
Jump Ahead
Best Hiking Boots – Best Hiking Shoes
Sustainable Hiking Boots to Check Out
Keen – Will’s Vegan Store – Merrell
Eco-Friendly Hiking Shoes Worth Mentioning
Vivo Barefoot – Hoka – Teva
What Makes A Boot Or Shoe Sustainable?
Materials – Production and Green Manufacturing – Durability and Versatility
Sustainable Brands for Hiking Boots and Shoes
It’s nearly impossible for a brand to be 100% ethical and sustainable. Still, some are doing their best and setting the sustainability bar high. Whether they are using recycled materials, designing for circularity, obtaining sustainability certifications, or all three, we should be supporting brands that keep sustainability at the forefront.
Best Hiking Boots
I’ve looked into some of the most ethical boot brands, and their most popular styles. These brands also feature some of the best vegan hiking boots on the market today. Your feet and mind can feel good about choosing from any of the brands below.
Best overall hiking boots – Keen
Keen really does to seem to keep it all in mind when it comes to sustainability. For one, they have an incredibly high level of activism and volunteerism. Keen donates to many charitable causes, including disaster relief funds. They also bestow annual grants to non-profit organizations that make the outside and trades more accessible to all.
Keen is PFAs free and nearly completely chemical-free and works only with Gold Certified tanneries partners to produce their leather hiking boots focusing on the circularity of tanning wastewater. They also have non-leather hiking boots if you are looking for vegan sustainable outdoor footwear.
They prioritize diversity and inclusion in their workforce and believe that proper training and employee mental health are imperative for a sustainable workplace. Keen also believes in the longevity of outdoor footwear, which is why they warranty against manufacturing and material defects for one full year from the date of purchase.
Keen offers everything from vegan hiking shoes and boots to sandals, sneakers, and walking shoes. This has been Keen’s best-selling traditional hiking boot on the market for 17 years:
CIRCADIA WATERPROOF HIKING BOOT – KEEN
About This Item:
- Funding organizations to protect the planet
- PFCs Free & PFAs-free water repellency
- Eco anti-odor for natural odor control
- Vegan options
- Full year warranty
- Available in men’s and women’s
- Premium leather from an LWG-certified tannery
- Wide toe box and fantastic ankle support
Best Men’s earth-friendly hiking boots – Will’s Vegan Store
Footwear from this carbon-neutral company is manufactured in Italy and Portugal under EU employment, discrimination, and health and safety law. Their low-impact trekking footwear is constructed with animal-free materials, such as bio-based vegan leather from organic cereal crops. A recycled alternative is next considered when a suitable natural material cannot be found.
They believe in a closed-loop system, so you can return your old shoes for a small fee to be turned into new WVS outsoles and uppers. In 2020, Will’s Vegan Store introduced their LDN fully Biodegradable Sneakers. They have everything from outdoor footwear, knee-high boots, flats, and sandals, to vegan winter boots. They have also recently started selling other vegan-friendly products like accessories, jackets, and bags. The best part? 70% of the energy used to produce WVSport’s responsible hiking footwear is from solar power.
WVSport Waterproof Hiking Boots – WILL’S VEGAN STORE
About This Item:
- Certified carbon-neutral
- Return to recycle service at end of life
- Made from Lyliane 3DMX and cordura materials
- Waterproof seams and a waterproof membrane
- Vibram rubber injection outsoles and a patented support system
- Uppers with exceptional abrasion resistance for those rugged trails.
Best Womens hiking boots – Merrell
No company is perfect, but Merrell is working hard towards becoming a more sustainable brand. On top of already offering a vegan range of footwear, their sustainability targets for 2025 include the following:
- Reduce shoe and apparel samples by 50%
- 100% of products will contain organic, renewable, or recycled materials
- Reduce water waste by 40 million gallons
- Complete 10,000 volunteer hours
- Reduce plastic packaging
- Save 300, 000 pairs of shoes from landfills
Merrell makes every product you need to outfit your body for a sustainable outdoor adventure, from traditional hiking shoes to backpacks. You can even ensure you get their most sustainable products by shopping using their Eco-Friendly products page.
Check out the most eco-friendly Moab to date, without sacrificing performance. Feel comfortable on challenging or rough terrain, with good ankle support, built-in shock absorption, and improved grip.
Women’s Moab 3 mid eco – merrell
About This Item:
- Recycled materials.
- 100% recycled mesh webbing, footcover, lining, and laces.
- Best-in-class Vibram® TC5+ outsole designed with 30% recycled rubber
- 40% recycled synthetic and 60% recycled mesh upper
- 50% recycled removable EVA foam footbed
Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Hiking Shoes
You may be looking for trail running shoes, shoes for day hikes, vegetarian shoes, hiking shoes with Gore-Tex lining, or anything and everything in between. Below are some of the more sustainable and accessible brands on the market today to help you find your next eco-friendly footwear.
BEST WOMEN’s hiking shoes – Vivo Barefoot Shoes
This Certified B Corps brand believes in radical transparency, which is clear in its extremely detailed Integrated Annual Report. Their very relatable purpose is to “inspire a world with less padding and more feeling.” Their barefoot shoes range consists of natural, biosynthetic, and recycled material products of super minimalist, sustainable design.
They are doing their part to keep shoes out of landfills. Vivo also launched ReVivo in 2020. They have since repaired 31,000 pairs of Vivos, 19,000 of which have found new feet through the program.
PRIMUS TRAIL III ALL WEATHER – vivo barefoot
About this item:
- Regenerative to human health
- Eco-friendly and vegan
- Made using recycled all-weather mesh textile
- Promote your foot’s natural strength and movement
- B Corporation(™) certified business
- Natural, biosynthetic and recycled material
- Water resistant for all weather
- Ideal for narrow or wide feet.
Best unisex hiking shoes – Hoka
90% of Hoka’s footwear contained at least one recycled, renewable, regenerated, or natural material in 2021. All their leather is sourced from LWG-certified tanneries, and they offer several vegan and green hiking boots and vegan hikers and trail runners.
HOKA’s parent company, Deckers Brands, has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) — the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative since 2016.
Hoka also offers monetary support to non-profit organizations that champion social and racial justice. Employees that volunteer 100 hours in a calendar year receive a $1000 donation to a charity of their choice.
SPEEDGOAT 5 GTX – HOKA
About this item:
- Laces with 70% recycled nylon and 30% recycled polyester
- Vegan trail running shoe made for wet, muddy conditions and challenging terrain.
- Gore-Tex waterproofing membrane containing recycled materials (available without Gore-Tex)
- Vibram Megagrip traction
- Lightweight and breathable on your feet
- Zero-waste facility
- 100% Recycled polyester sockliner top cloth
Best men’s environmentally conscious hiking shoes – TEVA
As stated for Hoka above, Teva is another brand of the parent company Deckers Brands. They use plastic waste to create Teva webbing, and 100% of their straps are made from recycled polyester. They also support the Better Cotton Initiative.
TevaForever is a sandal recycling program with free shipping available in the U.S. They are working on including shoes and boots in the program. I owned a pair of Teva’s for a brief period, and they were the most comfortable sandals I’ve ever worn. Unfortunately, they were too wide for my narrow feet, and I sold them to another very happy customer.
RIDGEVIEW LOW – TEVA
About this item:
- 50% recycled polyester mesh uppers
- Recycled plastic using REPREVE® yarn
- Vibram® Megagrip outsoles
- Available in men’s and women’s styles
- Waterproof bootie made from LWG-certified leather
- Vibram Mega Grip for wet surfaces
For those of you with stinky feet like me, the peppermint-based antimicrobial Life Naturals that fights the growth of odor-causing bacteria is another of its excellent features!
What Makes a Boot or Shoe Sustainable?
There are many factors when considering the sustainability of a footwear brand. The use of sustainable materials, the company’s carbon footprint, and water and energy use all affect the brand’s environmental impact. Manufacturing and production also need to be taken into account. To be truly sustainable, a brand must ensure ethical practices are followed throughout production.
Materials
Natural and Recycled Materials
Many of the studies I cited in my blog titled “Eco-Friendly Beach Toys For Summer Fun In The Sun” highlight the issues that arise from the use of cheap plastics and rubbers in children’s toys. These same toxins and chemical adhesives may be found in low quality and non-sustainably manufactured hiking boots and shoes.
New, virgin synthetic materials, like plastics, foams, and rubbers, can be replaced with recycled materials salvaged from items such as old tires and water bottles. Leather from old boots and shoes can be upcycled to create new ones.
For the softer parts of the footwear, recycled polyester, hemp, bamboo, and organic cotton are all great options for more sustainable materials. Bonus if materials used are biodegradable too!
Cruelty-Free hiking footwear
Many companies now cater to a large customer base leading a vegan lifestyle. Animal products like leather aren’t used in vegan-friendly hiking boots or shoes; even small things like vegan water-based glue must be considered. Thankfully, many organic, plant-based, and recycled synthetic materials can be used to create vegan-friendly options.
Production and Manufacturing
Ethical
A brand with ethically produced footwear can trace its manufacturing process throughout the supply chain, from source to shelf. Materials need to be sourced and processed sustainably. Final products are manufactured and assembled in safe buildings by workers who are treated and paid fairly.
Energy & Water Conscious
Not only do the people all along the way need to be considered, but so does Mother Earth. The energy source used in production and energy-reduction practices impacts the environment. It’s not enough to simply offset carbon emissions anymore; we need to actively invest in clean energy sources for the future.
Water conservation must also be a priority for a brand that keeps sustainability in mind. Reducing the volume of water used and eliminating chemicals from production is imperative to preserve one of the planet’s most valuable resources.
Durability & Versatility
Just as fast fashion isn’t sustainable, neither are hiking boots that need to be replaced more often than they should. A truly sustainable hiking boot or shoe will last the test of time and can be worn for many different activities.
My minimalist rule of thumb is quality over quantity regarding footwear, whether it’s mountaineering boots, a trail running shoe, or winter boots.
One way to reduce the quantity is versatility. This is a big factor for my partner and me since we will use the same footwear on day hikes, long-distance trekking and camping, wet conditions, on mixed terrain, for city walks, and runs – you name it. For this reason, we usually opt for a comfortable, breathable trail runner.
Final Thoughts on sustainable hiking boots and shoes
Whether you’re into speed hiking, trail running, day hikes, or multi-day treks, there are eco-conscious hiking boot and shoe options for you! Keep your eye out for eco-friendly materials such as regenerated, renewable, or recycled materials like recycled rubber, plastic, and polyester. Research the manufacturing process and shipping and packaging procedures of the brand you’re interested in.
Don’t forfeit sustainability, durability, or comfort for the price tag. Eco-minded trekking boots and shoes may cost a little more, but remember that quality over quantity is always the most minimalist, sustainable choice!
All products recommended to you on Successfully Sustainable are independently researched in depth. To avoid waste and lead a minimal lifestyle, we test products only when required. This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission. Learn more about this here.
