24/7 Insights

• The best running shoe brands aren’t the ones with expensive marketing campaigns, and it can be hard to find them.
• The shoe industry is rife with exploitation of people and the planet, but there are a handful of companies that make shoes responsibly.
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Experienced runners will tell you that a quality running shoe can either make or break your experience. It can affect your speed, health, posture, and performance. Besides a well-made and high-quality shoe, some consideration of origin and materials should also be asked. Did the person who made this shoe make a fair wage? Is this shoe made from sustainable materials? Well, fear not. We have compiled a list of ethically made running shoe brands for you to consider. We recommend you avoid all other running shoe brands except these nine.

Why Are We Talking About This?

Running shoes are expensive, yet you might not be surprised to learn that most of that cost isn’t the result of high-tech running shoe technology, it’s the result of expensive marketing and the value of the brand. A $300 shoe is not 30 times better than a $10 shoe. That being said, paying for the right shoe can save you money in the long term and help your body maintain good posture. We want you to avoid misleading marketing and actually find the brands that are good for you and the planet.

#1 VIVOBAREFOOT

• Ethics: Certified B Corp, 100% Vegan, Recycled Materials
• Product: HYDRA ESC MENS
• Price: $210
• Good For: Trail Running, Road Running, Training

The HYDRA ESC comes in four different styles and features a “Swimrun ESC Michelin Outsole,” and insole foam made from excess algae biomass. The HYDRA ESC is also 100% vegan (although not technically certified as such) but we appreciate the transparency. This shoe can be used to swim, and run through all terrains and is part of VIVOBAREFOOT’s Ecological Survival Collection. It is unique in that it drains and dries rapidly, and stays light when it is wet.

VIVOBAREFOOT

This certified B Corp is on a regenerative mission to change the shoe industry. Believing that barefoot is best, while also recognizing that not all surfaces are conducive to barefooting, Vivobarefoot offers shoes that are as close to barefoot as possible! Vivobarefoot believes that thick soles, unnecessary cushioning, and shoe heels rob our feet of proper functionality. Its shoes are “designed to let your feet move like feet.” The shoes are “feet shaped,” being much wider at the top, allowing your toes to have room, super flexible, and thin enough to allow your feet to have natural feedback and gain strength. It currently is not a sustainable company but commits to be so soon.

#2 Allbirds

• Ethics: Certified B Corp, FSC Certified, Recycled Materials,
• Product: Tree Runner Go
• Price: $120 (plus free shipping)
• Good For: Everyday Wear, Road Running, Training

Sugarcane, tree fibers, and castor oil- that’s what sustainable running shoes are made of! Allbirds is committed to being good for runners and good for the planet by using sustainable materials and being 60% carbon neutral. Allbirds lists the carbon footprint of each shoe and is transparent about its materials. It keeps the sustainability going by launching its second-hand marketplace called Allbirds ReRun, where gently used or slightly imperfect can be enjoyed by new runners and stay out of landfills. We also love that Allbirds is transparent by publishing its yearly sustainability report, partnering with regenerative farmers, and supporting carbon removal projects.

Allbirds

The Tree Runner Go comes in five classic styles and nine limited edition styles, making it the perfect shoe to fit anyone’s aesthetic preferences. It is made from a tree fiber blend upper, sugarcane-based green EVA midsole, and offers comfort and breathability. The Tree Runner Go has a carbon footprint of 4.89kg of CO2e

#3 Hylo Athletics

• Ethics: 100% Vegan, Recycled Materials
• Product: Hylo Impact
• Price: $165
• Good For: Everyday Use, Road Running

The HYLO IMPACT offers high cushioning, moderate support, and maximum responsiveness to give you the perfect shoe for road running. It achieves this responsiveness by using HyperBolt technology which is a nitrogen-injected foam with added bio-EVA. This reduces the overall weight of the shoe and offers a medial side wall to increase stability. The 60% natural rubber outsoles were inspired by Formula 1 tires, and displace water, increase traction, and increase ground contact with its cutouts between the rubber pods. It also makes for a unique shoe style.

Hylo Athletics

Hylo Athletics uses natural materials such as organic cotton, algae, water-based glue, corn fibers, castor beans, and natural rubbers to create sustainable shoes. It is also committed to promoting a circular economy with its Hyloop Program, where customers can send back their damaged shoes for repair or recycling to keep them from ending up in landfills. It also is transparent and publishes its Carbon Scores on all of its products.

#4 Brooks

• Ethics: Community Impact, Running Industry Diversity Coalition, Recycled Materials
• Product: Ghost 15
• Price: $140
• Good For: Road Running, Walking, Everyday

The Ghost 15 comes in 17 different color profiles and four width sizes. It is made from 57% recycled materials and is a CarbonNeutral certified product. This shoe is well-loved and well-decorated. It won the 2023 Runner’s World Shoe Award and has an APMA Seal of Acceptance. APMA stands for the American Podiatry Medical Association, and awards seals of acceptance to shoes that promote good foot health.

Brooks

Brooks is a shoe company that is doing good for people and the planet. It supports organizations such as Front Runners, and Angel City Elite, and is a member of the Business Coalition for the Equality Act and the Running Industry Diversity Coalition. On top of that, it uses recycled materials such as recycled polyester yarn made from PEC water bottles, and surplus silica, and uses a dope dyeing process that cuts greenhouse emissions and reduces water waste by 94%. It is also committed to putting a stop to the fast fashion industry by making high-quality well-made shoes that customers can stick with long-term. It also has launched its Brooks ReStart platform, a market to re-sell gently used shoes.

#5 On

• Ethics: 100% Vegan, Recycled Materials
• Product: Cloudflow 4
• Price: $160
• Good For: Speed, Road Running, and Performance Running

The Cloudflow 4 comes in eight different styles. Its lightness and built-in forward-roll will have you speeding away. It features a spoon-shaped Speedboard made from a nylon blend that is stiff and light. It is breathable, and soft because it utilizes On’s CloudTec in Helion™ super foam throughout the shoe. It is made from 25% recycled content and 75% recycled polyester.

On

On is a Swiss company that uses a unique bioplastic to construct its running shoes. It uses PA-11 which is made from castor beans as the basis of its bioplastics. This amazing bioplastic takes much less water to grow, can be endlessly recycled, and can be grown in dry landscapes. It is the main material used in On’s Cyclon Initiative line. Runners can also enjoy its circular subscription service that allows committed runners to offset waste by returning their shoes to be recycled into a brand-new pair. We also like that On is really transparent about its suppliers, and materials, and creates every shoe design in Men’s and Women’s styles and sizes.

#6 Icebugs

• Ethics: Woman-Owned, RWS Certified, GRS Certified, Recycled Materials, LWG Gold Standard,
• Product: Horizon RB9X
• Price: $139.95
• Good For: Gravel Road Running, Trail Running, Road Running

The Horizon RB9X comes in Men’s and Women’s, multiple styles, and utilizes Icebugs’ RB9X non-studded traction rubber technology. It features a TPU mudguard toe box and heel cup, full cushioning, an airy upper, and a 7mm drop. Each pair is made from 28% recycled material, and 12% bio-based material, and creates 9 kg of CO2e per pair. Some of the materials used are recycled nylon fishing nets, algae, recycled PET Polyester, and Bleusign Polyester. 

Icebugs

Icebug is a Swedish company that focuses on sustainability and slip-proof shoes. By creating shoes with the world’s best traction, Icebugs is encouraging everyone to get outdoors and be active in any type of weather without fear of the elements. Icebug was founded by a mother and son duo in 2001 and led the way with its various grip technologies: dynamic steel studs, RB9X rubber, and tractor tread. With its Follow The Footprints Initiative, Icebugs is committed to transparency in its production line. You can track each step of its supply train in each product description- and we mean EVERY step. It also treats its employees really well with flexible hours, fitness allowance, three hours of fitness time per week during work hours, profit sharing, and even counseling support.

#7 Giesswein

• Ethics: Cruelty-free, Mulesing-free Certification,
• Product: Wool Peak
• Price: $170
• Good For: Road Running, Training, Walking, Light Workouts

The Wool Peak Women’s shoe features an extra light suspension that gives back energy is made from Merino wool, and comes in six styles. It offers a cushioned sole, temperature regulating material, and is odorless and moisture-wicking. Like all of Giesswein’s offerings, the Wool Peak is made from its Woolfinity Wool Fabric and can be comfortably worn without socks. It’s also machine washable!

Giesswein

Giesswein was founded in Austria in 1954 and is known as a pioneer and leader in wool processing. This family-owned company is now in its third generation of Giesswein leaders. It only uses exclusively Merino wool sourced from Italian and British spinning mills. Merino wool is high-quality, antibacterial, odor-free, moisture-wicking, and hypoallergenic. Merino Wool is completely biodegradable and sustainable.

#8 Veja

• Ethics: Certified B Corp, Vegan, Recycled Materials
• Product: Condor 3 Engineered-Mesh Areia White Gradient
• Price: $200
• Good For: Road Running

The Condor 3 features an upper constructed from 100% recycled polyester mesh, a heel support insert made from 62% Ricinus oil, an insole made from sugar cane, and an outsole made from mineral silica and Amazonian rubber. The Condor offers a voluminous and wide sole (29 mm forefront and 37mm heel) to give runners true comfort. It has a neutral shoe tread and an 8mm drop.

Veja

VEJA recently released its sustainable running shoe collection. It is known for producing the world’s first post-petroleum running shoe. Being a Certified B Corp means that VEJA is all about ethical materials and ethical production practices. Some of the natural materials used to construct the footwear are rice waste, sugarcane, natural Amazonian rubber, and recycled polyester.

#9 HOKA

• Ethics: eEhical practices, supply chain responsibility
• Product: Crescendo XC
• Price: $90
• Good For: Cross-Country Race Running, Competition Running

Crescendo XC is an all-gender entry-level racing shoe that has adaptable rubber outsoles and offers a six-pin spike plate. It offers a compression EVA midsole, rubber outsole, and a responsive cushion. It weighs seven ounces.

HOKA

HOKA is good for people and good for the planet. HOKA is a DEI company that supports organizations such as its Humans of HOKA program and has donated over $500,000 to racial and social justice organizations around the globe. They audit their Tier 1 and Tier 2 supply chain partners for ethical practices. HOKA is also partnered with Achilles International, BSR HERproject, The Boys and Girls Club of America, and Back On My Feet.

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