Vegetarian Shoes
Rated: Great
Price: $$
Location: UK
Quick verdict
Best for consumers seeking durable, European-made vegan footwear from one of the oldest continuously operating vegan shoe brands in the world (35+ years). Their Airseal range (made by NPS Shoes (Solovair's parent, est. 1881) in England) offers genuine Dr. Martens-quality construction with Goodyear Welted resoleable design. The significant caveat:, with no formal certifications, no Code of Conduct, and no published environmental data despite decades of operation.
Key info
- Headquarters
- Brighton, United Kingdom
- Founded
- 1990
- Product categories
- Shoes, Vegan
- Price range
- $$
- Key certifications
- Organic hemp sourcing (only formal certification). No PETA-Approved Vegan, Vegan Society, OEKO-TEX, Fair Trade, or factory audit certifications
Vegetarian Shoes sustainability rating
Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (We Avoid) to 5 (Excellent). How we rate
Rating breakdown
Signature "Vegetan" synthetic microfibre (polyester/PU, 70–80% biodegradable, no PVC in uppers). Growing plant-based range includes apple skin leather, cork, organic hemp, organic cotton, and Piñatex. European factories increasingly use water-based glues. However, core material remains synthetic/petroleum-derived.
All manufacturing exclusively in Europe (UK, Spain, Italy, Poland, Portugal). Workers paid "minimum wage, if not more" with union rights. Flagship Airseal made by NPS Shoes in England (20+ year partnership). However, no Code of Conduct, no living wage assurance, no supplier audits, and only partial supply chain tracing.
No published carbon footprint data, no water reduction metrics, no formal climate targets. Uses some eco-friendly materials but no evidence of meaningful environmental reduction programmes. The brand itself acknowledges: "The shoe business is not a particularly eco-friendly one."
Discloses NPS Shoes partnership and European manufacturing locations. However, no published impact reports, no full supplier list, no quantitative environmental data, and no formal certifications beyond organic hemp sourcing.
Airseal boots £149–£165+, sandals £40–£90, most footwear £80–£180, Competitive for European-made, resoleable vegan footwear. Exceptional durability (boots lasting 3–5+ years) and the Airseal Resole Service significantly extend product lifespan, offering genuine long-term value.
What they do well
- 35+ years as a vegan footwear pioneer: one of the oldest continuously operating vegan shoe brands in the world, founded in 1990 by self-taught shoemaker Robin Webb
- Exclusively European manufacturing: all production in UK, Spain, Italy, Poland, and Portugal with no plans to move to the Far East; flagship Airseal made by NPS Shoes (est. 1881) in England
- Airseal Resole Service: Goodyear Welted construction specifically designed for resoling and longevity, with repairs through Eric Wrathall Shoe Repairs using original soles and no animal glues
- 200+ styles spanning boots, shoes, sandals, trainers, hiking/safety/work boots, and accessories: the widest range of any dedicated vegan footwear brand
Room for improvement
- Virtually no formal certifications, despite 35 years of operation, holds no PETA-Approved Vegan, Vegan Society, OEKO-TEX, Fair Trade, or factory audit certifications. The only certification is organic hemp sourcing.
- Core material remains synthetic, Vegetan is primarily polyester and polyurethane (essentially plastic). While PVC-free and 70–80% biodegradable, it still raises microplastic and end-of-life concerns. Plant-based alternatives (apple skin, Piñatex, cork) are growing but not yet dominant.
- No environmental data or targets, no published carbon footprint, water usage data, formal climate targets, or sustainability reporting
About Vegetarian Shoes
Robin Webb, a self-taught shoemaker who left Worthing Art College around 1986, founded Vegetarian Shoes in 1990 in Brighton, UK. The brand operates from a shop at 12 Gardner Street in Brighton's North Laines, with a head office on Foundry Street and local warehouses. It remains independently owned and founder-led.
The signature material family is Vegetan, a synthetic microfibre originally discovered from yachting upholstery, composed primarily of polyester and polyurethane. Key variants include Vegetan Micro (waterproof/breathable), Vegetan Bucky (ages like leather), and Vegetan Smooth Grain. No PVC is used in uppers—a growing plant-based materials range includes apple skin leather, cork, certified organic hemp, organic cotton, and Piñatex.
The flagship Airseal range is made by NPS Shoes (parent of Solovair) in England, a factory established as a co-operative in 1881, with a 20+ year collaboration. Robin Webb has explicitly stated: "No plans to move production to the Far East." The brand won two Viva! awards in 2019 for Outstanding Loyalty & Commitment and Excellence and Innovation in vegan footwear.
Product highlights
Airseal 3-Eye Boot
Classic Dr. Martens-style boot in Vegetan synthetic leather; Goodyear Welted construction; made by NPS Shoes in England
~£149–£165+
Flagship product; resoleable via the Airseal Resole Service; reviewers praise durability lasting 3–5+ years
Piñatex Chelsea Boot
Chelsea boot in pineapple leaf fibre Piñatex material; European made
~£120–£160
Showcases plant-based material innovation; Piñatex supports subsistence pineapple farmers
Airseal 8-Eye Boot
Tall lace-up boot in Vegetan with Goodyear Welted resoleable construction; English-made
~£165–£185
The brand's most iconic tall boot; waterproof Vegetan Micro variant available for all-weather wear
Hemp Sandals
Casual sandals in certified organic hemp; lightweight summer footwear
~£40–£90
Most affordable entry point; organic hemp is the brand's only formally certified material
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