10 Best Sustainable Converse Alternatives: Shoes Like Converse [2026]
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The Chuck Taylor All Star has been around for over a century, and its canvas-and-rubber recipe is simple enough that dozens of smaller brands now make a better version of it. Better here means organic or recycled canvas instead of conventional cotton, and natural rubber instead of synthetic.
We compared 10 sustainable Converse alternatives. Certifications on the cotton or the rubber counted for the most. Most cost within $20 of a pair of Chucks, and two are cheaper.
Our Favorite Converse Alternatives
Here’s how the 10 alternatives compare at a glance:
| Brand | Closest Converse style | Key materials | Vegan | Price | Made in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethletic | Chuck Taylor high-top and low-top | Fair Trade organic cotton, FSC natural rubber | Yes | €80–100 | Pakistan (Fair Trade factory) |
| Etiko | Chuck Taylor high-top and low-top | Fairtrade organic cotton, Fairtrade natural rubber | Yes | AU$120–140 | Pakistan and India (Fairtrade factories) |
| Nothing New | Chuck 70 high-top and low-top | Recycled plastic bottles, recycled fishing nets, natural rubber | Yes | $95–120 | Vietnam |
| Novesta | Chuck Taylor low-top (Star Master) | GOTS organic cotton, natural rubber | Yes | $90–110 | Slovakia |
| Veja | Chuck Taylor (Nova and Nova HT) | Organic cotton, wild Amazonian rubber | Nova canvas styles | $95–150 | Brazil |
| Bohempia | Chuck Taylor high-top (barefoot) | Organic hemp canvas, natural rubber | Yes | €90–110 | Czech Republic |
| Flamingos’ Life | Chuck Taylor low-top and retro styles | Organic cotton, corn-waste and bamboo materials, natural rubber | Yes | €90–130 | Spain |
| Allbirds | Chuck Taylor low-top (Tree Piper, Canvas Piper) | Eucalyptus fibre, organic cotton canvas, sugarcane SweetFoam® | Piper canvas styles | $100–120 | Vietnam, South Korea |
| 8000Kicks | Chuck Taylor low-top (Explorer) | Hemp canvas, algae-based sole | Yes | $135 | Portugal |
| Baabuk | Chuck Taylor low-top (Urban Wooler) | Mulesing-free merino wool, natural rubber | No | $115 | Portugal |
Prices are approximate, checked September 2026, and vary by style and region.
Are Converse sustainable?
Converse has been owned by Nike since 2003, and a standard Chuck Taylor is conventional cotton canvas on a synthetic rubber sole, made in Vietnam, Indonesia, China and India. Converse benefits from Nike’s supplier list and factory audits, which puts it ahead of most fast fashion on transparency, but a regular Chuck has no organic or recycled content and no certifications on the shoe itself.
The Converse Renew line is the exception: it uses recycled polyester canvas made from plastic bottles and, in some styles, upcycled denim and scrap canvas. It’s a genuine improvement, but it’s a small slice of the range and it’s still made in the same factories with the same synthetic sole.
If you want a canvas sneaker with certified cotton and a natural rubber sole, the brands below have been making one for years.
The 10 Best Shoes Like Converse
1. Ethletic
Sustainability: Fairtrade-certified organic cotton, FSC-certified natural rubber, vegan, fully traceable supply chain, Fair Trade premium paid to workers
Best for: The closest sustainable equivalent to a Chuck Taylor
Price: Around €80–100
Ships to: EU, Switzerland, USA
German brand Ethletic has been making the Fair Trainer since 2004, and it is the sneaker most people are looking for when they search for shoes like Converse. The high-top and low-top silhouettes are near-identical to a Chuck, but the canvas is Fairtrade-certified organic cotton and the sole is FSC-certified natural rubber from Sri Lanka.
Ethletic publishes its whole supply chain, from the cotton farms to the factory in Pakistan, and pays a Fair Trade premium that workers vote on how to spend. The shoes are vegan and cost about the same as a pair of Chucks. If you only look at one brand on this list, make it this one.
2. Etiko
Sustainability: Certified B Corp, Fairtrade organic cotton and Fairtrade natural rubber, living wages for workers and farmers, vegan
Best for: Ethical high-tops from the most-awarded ethical brand in Australia
Price: Around AU$120–140 (about US$80–95)
Ships to: Worldwide
Australian brand Etiko is a certified B Corp that has topped ethical fashion rankings in Australia for years, and its high-tops and low-tops are the other classic Converse alternative. Both the organic cotton canvas and the natural rubber sole are Fairtrade certified, which is rare: most brands certify one or the other.
Etiko’s sneakers are vegan and come in bold solid colours rather than patterns, and the brand runs a take-back scheme in Australia. It ships worldwide, and prices in US dollars work out a little under a pair of Chucks. Read our Etiko rating.
3. Nothing New
Sustainability: Canvas made from recycled plastic bottles and fishing nets, natural rubber soles, recycled laces and packaging, take-back programme with store credit
Best for: A Chuck 70 lookalike made almost entirely from recycled materials
Price: Around $95–120
Ships to: USA and international
New York brand Nothing New makes two silhouettes, a high-top and a low-top, and both are a direct answer to the Chuck 70. The canvas is woven from recycled plastic bottles and fishing nets, and the sole is natural rubber. Even the laces and the box are recycled.
When you’re done with a pair, Nothing New takes them back for recycling and gives you credit towards the next one. Colour options are more limited than Converse and the shoes are made in Vietnam, but the brand is upfront about its factory. It’s the pick if recycled materials matter more to you than organic ones.
4. Novesta
Sustainability: GOTS-certified organic cotton, natural rubber soles vulcanised the traditional way, handmade in Slovakia since 1939, vegan
Best for: A European-made vulcanised sneaker with heritage credentials
Price: Around $90–110
Ships to: Worldwide
Novesta has made rubber-soled shoes in the same Slovakian factory since 1939, and its Star Master is the closest European-made sneaker to a Chuck Taylor low-top. The upper is GOTS organic cotton, the sole is natural rubber, and the two are vulcanised together using the same traditional process Converse used in the 1930s.
Novesta’s styling is a little chunkier and more retro than a Chuck, with a thicker foxing strip that has made it a favourite of menswear stores like Toast and Parasol. It’s made entirely in Europe, which very few sneakers at this price can claim.
5. Veja
Sustainability: Certified B Corp, fair-trade organic cotton from Brazil and Peru, wild rubber tapped in the Amazon, factory audits published, no advertising spend
Best for: A canvas Converse alternative from the most transparent sneaker brand
Price: Around $95–150
Ships to: Worldwide
Veja is best known for its leather V-10 and Campo, but the Nova and Nova HT are its canvas sneakers and they sit squarely in Converse territory. The canvas is organic cotton bought at a fixed fair-trade price from farming cooperatives in Brazil and Peru, and the sole uses wild rubber tapped by communities in the Amazon.
Veja publishes everything: factory audits, material breakdowns per shoe, even what it pays for cotton. It’s a certified B Corp and spends nothing on advertising, which is how it keeps prices close to a big brand’s. The Nova canvas styles are vegan; check the label on other models. Read our Veja rating.
6. Bohempia
Sustainability: Organic hemp canvas, PETA-approved vegan, made in the Czech Republic, barefoot and conventional soles
Best for: A hemp high-top that looks like a Chuck but fits like a barefoot shoe
Price: Around €90–110
Ships to: EU and international
Czech brand Bohempia makes its Chuck-style high-tops and low-tops from hemp canvas, a crop that needs far less water and no pesticides compared with cotton. The shoes are PETA-approved vegan and made in the Czech Republic.
What sets Bohempia apart is the barefoot option: several styles come with a thin, flexible, zero-drop sole and a wide toe box. If you like the look of a Converse but hate the flat, narrow fit, this is the one to try. We’ve covered the brand in more depth in our hemp shoes guide.
7. Flamingos’ Life
Sustainability: Vegan materials from corn waste, bamboo and organic cotton, natural rubber soles, made in Spain, carbon-neutral shipping
Best for: Retro-styled vegan sneakers made in Europe
Price: Around €90–130
Ships to: Worldwide
Spanish label Flamingos’ Life makes vegan sneakers inspired by 70s, 80s and 90s classics, and its canvas low-tops are an easy Converse swap. The brand uses corn-waste and bamboo-based materials alongside organic cotton, natural rubber soles, and makes everything in Spain.
Reviewers note the shoes can need a little breaking in, but the materials story is one of the most interesting here and the styling goes well beyond the standard Chuck.
8. Allbirds
Sustainability: Certified B Corp, natural and recycled materials, carbon footprint printed on every shoe, ReRun resale programme
Best for: A softer, more cushioned take on the low-top Chuck
Price: Around $100–120
Ships to: Worldwide
The Allbirds Piper is the brand’s answer to the low-top Chuck, with a eucalyptus-fibre or organic cotton canvas upper on a sugarcane-based SweetFoam® sole. It’s noticeably softer and more cushioned than a Converse, machine washable, and as a certified B Corp Allbirds prints the carbon footprint on every pair.
We’ve reviewed the Tree Pipers and compared the whole range in our Allbirds alternatives guide. See our Allbirds rating.
9. 8000Kicks
Sustainability: Waterproof hemp canvas, algae-based Bloom sole, vegan, made in Portugal
Best for: A waterproof hemp sneaker for people who wear Chucks in the rain
Price: $135
Ships to: USA, UK, EU, Canada
Portuguese brand 8000Kicks made the first waterproof hemp sneaker, and the Explorer is the pick if your Converse habit involves wet weather. The hemp canvas is treated to be fully waterproof, the sole is made with algae-based Bloom foam, and the shoes weigh around 240 g each.
We’ve reviewed a pair of 8000Kicks and interviewed the founder. Colours lean neutral, and at $135 it’s pricier than a Chuck, but nothing else here keeps your feet dry. See our 8000Kicks rating.
10. Baabuk
Sustainability: Certified B Corp, mulesing-free merino wool, natural rubber soles, made in Portugal
Best for: A wool low-top with the Chuck silhouette for colder months
Price: Around $115
Ships to: Worldwide
Swiss brand Baabuk makes the Urban Wooler, a low-top sneaker with the same outline as a Chuck but an upper of felted merino wool instead of canvas. It’s warmer than canvas and surprisingly hard-wearing. The brand is a certified B Corp and makes everything in Portugal.
It’s not vegan, so it’s the odd one out on this list, but it’s the only Converse-style sneaker here you’ll want to wear in January. Read our Baabuk vs Allbirds comparison and our Baabuk rating.
How to choose a Converse alternative
Certified or just “eco”. Ethletic, Etiko, Novesta and Veja carry third-party certifications (Fairtrade, GOTS, B Corp) on the cotton or rubber. That’s the strongest signal on this list.
Natural rubber matters. A vulcanised natural-rubber sole is what makes a canvas sneaker last. Ethletic, Etiko, Novesta, Veja and Nothing New all use one.
Made in Europe. Novesta, Bohempia, Flamingos’ Life, 8000Kicks and Baabuk are all made in the EU, so the supply chain is shorter than a Chuck’s.
Sizing. Ethletic and Etiko fit like a Converse, so take your usual size. Novesta runs large, so size down.
Frequently Asked Questions
What shoes are comparable to Converse?
Ethletic and Etiko are the closest sustainable equivalents to a Chuck Taylor, with the same high-top and low-top shapes in Fairtrade organic cotton and natural rubber. Nothing New matches the Chuck 70 in recycled materials, and Novesta is the European-made vulcanised alternative.
Are Converse shoes sustainable?
Not particularly. A standard Chuck Taylor is conventional cotton on a synthetic rubber sole with no organic, recycled or fair-trade certification, although Converse benefits from parent company Nike’s factory audits. The Converse Renew range uses recycled polyester canvas and is the better choice if you want to stay with the brand.
Are there vegan shoes like Converse?
Most Converse are already vegan by accident, but the alternatives here are vegan by design: Ethletic, Etiko, Nothing New, Novesta, Bohempia, Flamingos’ Life and 8000Kicks are all fully vegan. Veja’s Nova canvas styles are vegan too.
Are there cheaper alternatives to Converse?
Etiko works out at around US$80–95 and Ethletic at around €80–100, both at or under the price of a pair of Chucks. Novesta and Nothing New are within $20 of a Chuck 70.
Which Converse alternatives are made in Europe?
Novesta is handmade in Slovakia, Bohempia in the Czech Republic, Flamingos’ Life in Spain, and 8000Kicks and Baabuk in Portugal.
Wrapping Up: Shoes Like Converse
The Chuck Taylor is a simple shoe, which is why the sustainable versions are so good. Our top three:
- Closest to a Chuck: Ethletic. Fairtrade organic cotton on FSC natural rubber, with a published supply chain.
- Best vegan high-tops: Etiko. Fairtrade cotton and rubber from a B Corp.
- Best recycled sneaker: Nothing New. Recycled bottles and fishing nets on natural rubber.
Looking for alternatives to other shoe brands? Read our guides to sustainable alternatives to Vans, Allbirds, Doc Martens and Toms, or browse our full round-ups of sustainable sneakers and vegan sneakers.
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