Once upon a time, actual shoes used to be a thing – it's a distant memory for us too. Since trainers trickled into mainstream dressing over the past few decades, we've never looked back.
You don't need us to tell you that they needn't only be worn for sporting activities. Trainers are super versatile – think the finishing touch to an otherwise more dressy ensemble or teamed alongside baggy jeans for maximum cool-girl appeal.
Honestly, we get it – literally nothing beats the feeling of unboxing a fresh pair of trainers, which explains why so many of us are simply obsessed with our casual footwear wardrobe.
If your shopping habits are anything like ours, buying a pair of trainers is a joyous affair – but perhaps it might be time to bump your ecological impact a little higher up on your agenda?
What makes it a sustainable trainer?
For a while now, brands have been starting to cotton on to the fact that consumers are increasingly interested in shopping more sustainably. The fashion industry is a major contributor to global warming, and so switching up your usual choices for more eco-friendly options is a great way of reducing your carbon footprint.
MORE: 5 Sustainable fashion habits that are actually easy to adopt before Earth Day
READ: 7 Eco-conscious brands to have on your radar according to Amelia Windsor
There is no one-size-fits-all approach towards sustainability. Some brands are forgoing animal-derived leather and developing alternative fabrics created from fruit and vegetable skins, others are transforming plastic bottles into laces, some are even reworking their classic designs to make them more environmentally friendly, meaning you needn't compromise on style.
How we chose:
- Style and versatility: When combing through the internet's top fashion sites for the best pairs of sustainable trainers, we made sure that each of our picks felt ultra-wearable and relevant for SS24.
- Sustainable credentials: All the pairs we've highlighted are from a sustainable label or manufactured in a way that is ecologically responsible.
Hello! Fashion shares the best sustainable trainers to add to cart:
Best Sustainable Trainers
Atom Bio Leather Trainers
Vegan trainer label LØCI is all about supporting biodiversity, crafting covetable kicks from recycled ocean plastic and its innovative bio leather. This particular pair, handmade in Portugal with a retro, basketball silhouette, would look great with low-rise baggy jeans.
Burbela Slim Black
Created in 2015, Spanish plant-based shoe brand Flamingos Life has animal wellbeing at its core. All of its offerings are 100% vegan, constructed from materials such as corn waste, bamboo, organic cotton and natural rubber. The Burela slim model, with a 70% corn waste and 30% cotton upper, feels really versatile and I love the calculated flashes of white.
V-10 CWL White Sun Peach
Royal-approved trainer label Veja is renowned for its minimalist, smart silhouettes. The French brand uses predominantly low-impact materials such as organic cotton, organic rubber, recycled plastic and the like. This pair is part of its vegan range, and the orange and yellow accents feel cheery and spring-appropriate.
White Premium Leather/Ice
Brazil-based brand Cariuma sources natural materials such as bamboo, organic cotton sugarcane and cork to create its trainers, and 65% of its offerings are vegan. It's committed to regenerative practices, planting two trees for every pair it sells. For a super simple off-duty look, style its 90s-inspired skate shoe with an oversized sweatshirt and tube socks.
Modelo '92 - Yellow
Vegan Spanish label Saye started out as an idea for a reforestation-focused sneaker brand, and has blossomed into an industry leader. It uses bio-based, recycled, and organic materials and is one of my favourites for cool-girl, retro silhouettes. Cut from corn vegan napa and Seaqual, the Modelo '92s would look great with striped linen trousers and a ribbed tank.
Gazelle Indoor Shoes
Sportswear giant Adidas has a section on its website dedicated to products made from recycled content. These classic Gazelles are included in the edit, and we're totally on board. Cut from a vibrant suede and built on the brand's signature translucent gum rubber outsoles, these would look great styled with side popper track pants for major blokecore vibes.
Loop Logo-Embossed Vegetarian Leather Sneakers
Stella McCartney
A pioneer in its field, luxe British label Stella McCartney is renowned for its sustainable credentials. With circularity at its core, it is committed to fabric innovation. The brand's Loop trainers feel chic for pared-down errand days. The vegetarian leather upper is set on a thick platform sole, attached entirely without glue.
Why you should trust me:
Orin Carlin is Hello! Fashion’s SEO Content Writer. Promising to leave no stone unturned in the name of fashion and beauty journalism, she is the proud creator of our ‘Try The Trend’ series. With a particular interest in formula innovation, microtrends, royal and bridal beauty, perfume, rituals, treatments, fashion history and vintage icons, she can either be found interviewing major industry names (previous subjects include Georgia May Jagger, Mary Greenwell and Sam McKnight) or scouring the internet for must-have pieces. It's not just a job; it's a personal quest to unearth noteworthy pieces that resonate with style and beauty enthusiasts.
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