Warm Winter Boots That Won’t Fry The Planet
The climate crisis means that weather patterns are all over the place. While the Earth is warming and ice caps are melting, these severe weather patterns also mean extra cold temperature drops at times. With this in mind, when you’re considering your next pair of reliable winter boots, what options are going to keep you warm, while protecting the planet best?
Which boots release the least greenhouse gas emissions in production?
In case you missed it, cow skin leather is not only cruel, but terrible for the planet. Really terrible. Just one of the ways this manifests, is through the enormous climate impact of cow hides transformed chemically into leather.
For example, did you know that to produce a pair of winter boots made from cow skin leather rather than conventional synthetic leather, 56.5kg more carbon equivalent greenhouse gas emissions are released into our atmosphere? That’s pretty wild.
Other alternatives to leather, like Pinatex and AppleSkin leather, are responsible for even less greenhouse gas emission releases than conventional synthetic leather!
Our picks for the best ethically made, vegan winter boots:
With something for everyone, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite winter boots for the season — all made from less climate impact, ethically, and without animals (of course).
New in from Zette: Pina Lace-Ups
This brand new style from our in-house label, Zette, is the perfect balance of elegant and tough. The combination of sleek, heeled, round pointed toe boot elements alongside the more military-style thick sole and hardware is perfect for anyone looking to tread that line between the classically feminine and a more grunge look.
Made from breathable, high quality microfibre PU leather, these boots were ethically made in Portugal by artisans. They'll be perfect for taking you out to dinner, for a stroll through the park (note the comfortably wide, not-too-high heel), a gallery visit, or all sorts in between.
New in from Matt and Nat: Laney Chelsea-Style Rain Boots
These mindfully minimalist rain boots are the perfect go-to shoe for those wet days where you still want to look chic. In a bold white, these waterproof boots let anything that come at them slide right off, so you stay dry in style.
Perhaps most interesting about this style, is that these boots are made from recycled materials! Made in Romania, the quality of these boots is high, so you can enjoy rain walking, splashing, dancing (or whatever else!) for years to come.
A new masculine favourite from Zette: Sterling Chelsea Boots
A timeless classic of a shoe, the Sterling chelsea boot is hardy, made from the highest quality, Spanish made and OKEO-TEX 100 certified vegan leather. We're showing off the gorgeous cognac colour way here, but these handsome boots also come in olive and burgundy.
This style of boot can fit seamlessly into the wardrobe of all sorts of people, whether they dress sharply in suits, in traditional, hardy flannels, or in a classic, vintage cord shirt.
Fresh from Good Guys: Daisy Heeled Ankle Boots
This brand is known for making cult-classic boots, and the Daisy is no exception to that rule. Designed in Paris and fairly made in Portugal, the Daisy in honey is the perfect boot to be paired with your favourite vintage jeans, sheer tights and a wintery dress, poking out under long flared pants, or any other look.
Made from high quality, OEKO-TEX 100 certified vegan leather, and with a strong, wooden heel, this style also comes in classic black, and in a lower style called Duke, available in sand-tone.
A Zette favourite: Long Claudia Boots
From Zette's 2020 winter collection, the Claudia boot is not bound to a single year, but perfect for anyone looking to build a capsule wardrobe to last them for years. Available in chestnut as above, as well as in camel, black and taupe, the Claudia is handmade in Spain from buttery soft, vegan nappa leather.
Wear them under flared or wide-leg jeans, or on top of skinny jeans, tights or warmer stockings. These boots are perfect for keeping your legs warm in sophisticated, yet versatile style.
Ending with another from Good Guys: Cooper Desert Boots
If we're talking versatile, sustainable boots, we have to talk about Cooper. These essential style boots are made from AppleSkin, a kind of vegan leather that is up to 30% apple peels, seeds and cores that are recycled from the apple juice industry, which would otherwise discard them.
These ethically made shoes are not only a sustainable pick, but a perfect choice for anyone looking for understated, dress-them-up-or-down style shoes.
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