Finding the perfect pair of sustainable kid’s shoes can be difficult. First, you want to find a comfortable pair for your little one’s feet that won’t fall apart after a few wears.
Secondly, it’s important to find a pair of kids shoes made ethically and sustainably, from sustainable materials, without causing harm to people or the environment.
We’ve researched the market for the best eco-friendly kids shoes and added them to the list below. In addition, we’ve included a combination of brands using ethical and sustainable practices, including some with B Corp certification; which ensures they meet high standards of ethical and sustainable production.
Let’s jump in.
The Best Sustainable Kids Shoes
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1. Rothy’s
Sustainability: Sustainable kids shoes from recycled plastic bottles.
Styles: Machine washable Kids sneakers in vibrant colors and patterns.
Sizes: US 10-4 / EU 27-36
Ships to: Worldwide
Rothy’s is an American brand founded in 2016 to transform the sustainable shoe market. The brand famous for its ballet knit shoes and sneakers create its signature knit shoe styles for kids from recycled plastic bottles.
Rothy’s kid’s shoes are fun, vibrant, and hardwearing with a thick sole perfect for durability. Plus, Rothy’s kid’s shoes are completely machine washable.
Rothy’s children’s shoes come in loafer, sneaker, and strapped sneaker styles. However, some customers say that Rothy’s kid’s sneaker can sometimes be difficult for children to take on and off themselves due to a narrow opening.
2. Wills Vegan Store
Sustainability: Vegan kids shoes made with eco-friendly materials
Styles: Sustainable kids school shoes, brogues, ballerinas, sneakers, and derby styles
Sizes: UK 10-2.5 / EU 28-35
Ships to: Worldwide
UK-based sustainable vegan brand Wills Vegan Store creates sturdy and practical kids’ shoes from vegan and eco-friendly materials.
The shoe styles Wills offers are perfect for school or formal events and are easy to take on and off.
Wills Vegan kids shoes are created with a bio-based vegan leather that is breathable and water-resistant, keeping your child’s feet cool and dry all day long.
3. Allbirds
Sustainability: Children’s sneakers made from recycled materials and ZQ merino wool
Styles: Machine washable sneakers with easy-on elastic laces
Sizes: Kids sizes 5-10
Ships to: Worldwide
For kiddos always on the move, check out Allbirds kids shoe, Smallbirds.
Allbirds have taken its signature wool runner style and shrunk it down to fit kids’ feet.
Allbirds still uses its signature ZQ merino wool fabric and have designed the Smallbirds with ease in mind. The shoes are machine washable for easy care and feature elastic laces, so they’re easy to take on and off.
The brand has also created a slip-on version, perfect for the summer!
4. Adidas x Parley
Sustainability: Adidas kids shoes made sustainably with Parley ocean plastic.
Styles: Recycled kids sneakers and teen shoes
Sizes: US 2k-3 / EU 16-35 (Youth and teen sizes available)
Ships to: Worldwide
Adidas x Parley is a great ongoing collaboration between the major sportswear brand Adidas and Parley For The Oceans, a project that removes plastic pollution from our oceans to conserve our marine ecosystems.
Included in our sustainable sneaker recommendations, Adidas x Parley also create sustainable kids shoes from recycled plastic yarn, at least 50% Parley Ocean Plastic and the other 50% of the thread is recycled polyester.
5. Veja
Sustainability: Certified B Corp, using sustainable materials including chrome-free leather, recycled polyester, and organic cotton.
Styles: Kids high tops, kids sneakers
Sizes: US 6-6 / UK 5.5-6 / EU 22-39
Ships to: Worldwide
Hip French shoe brand Veja has gained popularity with it’s signature V sneakers. In addition, the brand has expanded to include a kids shoe range featuring shoes for toddlers, youths, and teens.
Veja sneakers are made with a blend of sustainably sourced materials, including organic cotton, chrome-free leather, natural rubber, and recycled polyester. The brand also creates an entirely vegan range that offers children’s styles.
Also available to shop at farfetch.com, office.com, and kidly.com.
Looking for barefoot shoes for kids? We’ve got a guide for that here!
6. Native Shoes
Sustainability Recyclable, vegan kids shoes
Styles: Sustainable kids shoes, kids boots, and kids sandals
Sizes: US 2-10 11-6 / UK 2-9 10-5
Ships to: Worldwide
Native’s sustainable kid’s shoes are perfect for active little feet. The brand creates three styles of children’s shoes, including the best-selling Jefferson shoe style, which is lightweight, durable, and saves up to 22% in greenhouse gasses thanks to its sustainable production of sugarcane EVA resin soles.
In addition, through the Native Shoes Remix™ Project, Native is on a mission to recycle your well-loved Native shoes to give them new life as bouncy, colorful playgrounds. So far, Native shoes have recycled over 35,000 shoes and created five new playgrounds.
7. Vivo Barefoot
Sustainability: Certified B Corporation, creating ethical and sustainable children’s shoes from responsible and recycled materials.
Styles: Sustainable kids shoes, active shoes, boots, summer shoes
Sizes: Toddlers and Junior Kids sizes
Ships to: Worldwide
Vivobarefoot kids shoes are unique, as they allow your child to be as close to barefoot as this aids learning to balance and walk. Vivobarefoot also suggests that allowing kids to walk in barefoot shoes helps build strong and flexible feet.
Vivobarefoot kid’s shoes are created with recycled materials free from animal products. The brand has your little one’s feet covered all year round as they make winter boots, active shoes, and sandals.
8. Toms
Sustainability: Certified B Corporation creating kids shoes that give back to charitable causes
Styles: Sustainable and ethical kids shoes in slip-on styles
Sizes: from baby to toddler, Junior to teens
Ships to: Worldwide
Toms are a classic sustainable shoe brand that gives back to children worldwide. Through the Toms one for one initiative, Toms has donated thousands of shoes to children in need. Today, the brand donates one-third of all profits to support community organizations driving sustainable change.
Look for the Earthwise range for Toms’ sustainable kid’s shoes, which ensures that the shoes are made with a guaranteed minimum content of sustainable materials, including organic cotton, eco-friendly fibers, and recycled polyester.
9. Petit Nord
Sustainability: Responsible and ethical production, minimizing toxic chemicals
Styles: Baby shoes, Kids boots, kids shoes
Sizes: Baby shoes, toddler shoes, and kids shoes
Ships to: Worldwide
Scandinavian shoe brand Petit Nord has been designing children’s shoes for over two decades. The brand focuses on eliminating the use of toxic chemicals to create healthier, sustainable kid’s shoes.
Petit Nord makes each shoe by hand from sustainable materials, making its shoes 100% biodegradable.
10. Wildling
Sustainability: Wildling’s minimalist kids shoes are created from responsibly sourced wool, and the brand is a certified B corp.
Styles: Minimalist kids shoes, kids wool boots, sandals
Sizes: Kids and toddler sizes available
Ships to: Worldwide
Wildling is a minimalist shoe brand that brings you back to nature. It creates its sustainable children’s shoes in Europe using undyed and responsibly sourced wool.
Wilding keeps its soles flexible to allow your child to feel contact with the ground, which helps to encourage balance as they grow.
Wrapping Up: Eco Friendly Kids Shoes
There are some great brands out there creating eco-friendly shoes for children, we recommend choosing shoes that are created ethically and with sustainable materials like organic cotton, responsibly sourced wool, or recycled materials. Check out brands like Allbirds, Vivobarefoot, Native, and Rothy’s for children’s options.
We hope you have enjoyed discovering some great new sustainable shoe brands for your little one.
If you’re looking to browse for more sustainable shoes, check out our sustainable shoe recommendations including sneakers, running shoes, sandals and heels.
If you’d like to continue reading our baby and childrens articles, make sure you take a look at organic socks and organic clothing.
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