How can we work on our 5-mile PR sending our planet straight to the finish line? By helping the shoe industry cover some serious ground via sustainable running shoes.
It’s a feat (or feet, rather) and likely one that won’t be solved as fast as you can run around the block.
The footwear industry as a whole has some pretty dirty practices en-tread-ed in it, hence our recent kick into eco-friendly sneakers.
So in the spirit of racking up the miles in low-impact runners, we’ve curated a list of shoe brands that prioritize not only responsible materials but also ethical labor and transparent supply chains.
Soon we’ll also be rolling out our Brand Rating System that will assess brands against a range of sustainability-related criteria, like chemical use and climate impact. All in an effort to see which ones are crossing the white ribbon first. You can read about our methodology here.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
Ethical Running Shoes Setting A Planet-Friendly Pace
We’ve really enjoyed running in Allbirds Carbon Neutral running shoes that are made of mostly biobased materials. They’re lightweight and for moderate distances (~5 miles) super reliable.
We’re a big fan of Merrell’s performance-led footwear, which we’ve found to have just the right amount of comfort, protection, and support for hitting the trails with confidence.
Get a runner’s high on circular footwear from On. Their Cyclon line of running shoes are 100% recyclable.
Index: Eco-Friendly Running Shoes
- Allbirds Jump to section
- On Jump to section
- Icebug Jump to section
- Merrell Jump to section
- hylo Athletics Jump to section
- Brooks Jump to section
- Vivobarefoot Jump to section
- VEJA Jump to section
- Reebok Jump to section
Allbirds
About Allbirds
Price Range: $135–$170
Lacing up a pair of eco running shoes from Allbirds is a treat.
For everyday use, the Tree Dasher 2 features a one-piece upper for seam-free comfort, a lightly padded heel, and a flexible cushioned insole. We found this shoe a reliable neutral fit for short to moderate distances. If you’re looking for sustainable trail running shoes, the Trail Runners SWT feature multi-directional 4mm lugs for increased grip on multiple terrains. Again, very reliable and something we’ve tested up to 10 miles with no blistering (something we’re prone to getting, even with blister-free socks).
We’ve done a deep dive on Allbirds’ sustainability but for the sake of brevity, here’s the summary.
Allbirds’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
For uppers, they use merino wool, FSC-certified TENCEL™ lyocell, or a blend of both.The SwiftFoam™ midsole features 48% bio-based castor bean oil, and the SweetFoam® midsole is made with sugarcane-based EVA. Outsoles are made from FSC-certified natural rubber. Other sustainable materials include bio-based TPU, bio-based nylon, and recycled polyester.
Note that none of the current styles are vegan as even the Tree Dasher contains a ZQ-certified regenerative merino wool heel lining.
Supply chain & labor practices:
This Certified B Corp’s ethical running shoe factory in Hai Phong, Vietnam is part of the Better Work program and suppliers must adhere to their Code of Conduct, which prohibits forced labor, child labor, unreasonable working hours, and more.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Aside from being carbon-neutral by offsetting 100% of emissions, their Flight Plan details ways in which they plan on reducing emissions—like having all factories operate using 100% renewable energy by 2025.
In 2022, they achieved a 12% emissions reduction. Each pair is labeled with its carbon footprint and shipped in an all-in-one bag, box, and mailer made from 90% post-consumer recycled cardboard.
On
About On
Price Range: $135–$170 or $30/month
On is on point when it comes to making performance-forward running shoes. While we love all their partially recycled running shoes, the Cloudneo runners are leading the pack. Unlike the rest of their styles for purchase, you rent these and return them at the end of their usability (about six months) for a fresh pair—Cyclon indeed!
On’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The undyed Cloudneo shoes feature uppers made of PA11, a bio-based plastic that’s engineered from castor beans, and Pebax® bottoms, another castor oil-derived bio plastic. The rest of their line features varying percentages of recycled materials, such as knit uppers 90–95% recycled synthetics. Total recycled content currently is about 35–40%.
They’re working on replacing traditional EVA foam with CleanCloud™, a material developed from captured carbon emissions.
Supply chain & labor practices:
On’s recycled shoes are made in Vietnam, in compliance with ILO and ETI standards.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Can running shoes be recycled? On’s Cloudneos can. These shoes are a fully zero waste product made of 100% recyclable materials. Send them back in the bag your new shoes arrive in and On takes care of rest.
Icebug
About Icebug
Price Range: $130–$280
Running in icy conditions? Swedish brand Icebug is on a mission to make sustainable traction footwear and inspire more people to get outdoors.
Specializing in recycled plastic running shoes for winter conditions, the Certified B Corp offers plenty of shoes for all of your outdoor adventures, including those with GORE-TEX® (GTX) waterproof membranes.
Icebug’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Uppers are made from bluesign® and 100% GRS-certified recycled PET polyester, the midsoles contain 20% BLOOM® foam, and outsoles from FSC-certified natural rubber. The GORE-TEX® lining used for some models is bluesign®-approved and OEKO-TEX-certified.
You’ll also find recycled fishing nets and recycled polyethylene.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Icebug’s shoes are made in Vietnam in factories that are regularly audited.
This Fair Wear Foundation member’s Follow Our Foot Footprints initiative makes it easy for customers to trace the journey of each pair of shoes. Scan the QR code in the tongue or shoebox to reveal manufacturer info and sustainability stats.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
This recycled shoe brand was the first in footwear to become climate positive by offsetting 200% of emissions—including all historical emissions since starting over two decades ago. They’re committed to halving emissions by 2030 and always use sea freight over air freight. Each product description highlights the CO2 footprint and percentage of recycled and bio-based materials present.
Merrell
About Merrell
Price Range: $90–$150
Merrell’s running shoes and sustainable hiking shoes are made for years of puddle splashing, hill ascending, and hundreds of miles of rough terrain.
While not all are the most sustainable running shoes, we’ve tested three models and can’t speak highly enough about how lightweight and comfortable each is. We personally recommend the Trail Glove for trail running and the more traditionally supportive Moab Flight for road running where greater impact absorption is needed.
Merrell’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The Trail Glove shoes are made with 100% recycled materials for the uppers, laces, lining, and footbed cover, with a 30% recycled EVA foam midsole and 30% recycled rubber Vibram® outsole. The Moab Flight features a 70% recycled upper, a 50% recycled footbed cover, 100% recycled laces, and 30% recycled Vibram® outsole.
The Scrap collection is a limited line of shoes made of patch of a patchwork of scraps from their other shoe manufacturing.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Merrell works with global partners committed to humane, safe, and ethical working conditions. Suppliers must comply with parent company Wolverine Worldwide’s Code of Conduct.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Merrell is a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition aiming to reduce plastic packaging and shoe samples, while increasing use recycled materials to 100%.
Inclusivity:
Merrell aims to make the outdoors more welcoming and inclusive by partnering with Zappos Adaptive and Unlikely Hikers.
My Personal Review of Merrell’s Trail Glove 7 & Speed Eco:
“The Trail Glove is Merrell’s eco-friendly, barefoot-feel hiking shoe made from recycled materials. It strikes a good balance of support and ground-level sensation, thanks to the super-grippy Vibram sole. Not for serious backpacking trips (I need more ankle stability), but awesome for day hikes and exploring.
The Speed Eco is a great choice if you want a more traditional shoe with solid support. It has a removable footbed that’s super comfy, an EVA foam midsole that cushions your steps, a grippy outsole, and a tough toe cap. Plus, the way it helps you transition from heel to toe makes all the difference when you’re pushing through those last few miles back to the trailhead.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
hylo Athletics
About hylo Athletics
Price Range: $135–$170
More than a brand, hylo Athletics is a “community of champions of tomorrow”.
This B Corp’s ethical running shoes offer both cushioning and responsiveness. And they’re designed to be recycled. You can send back worn pairs for recycling for free as long as you’re based in the UK or the US.
hylo Athletics’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
hylo are pretty clear about the materials used to make their vegan IMPACT shoe:
Upper: 100% bio-based nylon made from castor beans. Includes DWR coating for water repellency and corn derived lining, lace closure and tongue.
Midsole: Nitrogen injected foam with added bio-EVA
Insole: 20% bio-based foam
Outsole: 60% natural rubber
Laces: 100% bio-based TENCEL™ Lyocell
Other materials include: Recycled PU foam, recycled polyester, water-based glue, filler, cellulose acetate, polyester, ink and NFC.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Their manufacturing partner is SEMS in Putian, China, whom they regularly audit (via Elevate) to ensure good working conditions.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
They use minimal FSC-certified packaging and offset their already tiny carbon footprint—8.63kg CO2e per pair (calculated through an LSA). Shoes are audited by the SAC (Higg FEM, FSLM, BRM, PM)
Brooks
About Brooks
Price Range: $65–$150
Brooks is dedicated to people and the planet. They want to ensure that “everyone who wants to run is welcome to run, and everyone who runs has a place to do it”. Taking strides towards sustainability, they have several targets in place for climate action, responsible sourcing, community engagement, and DEI.
Their best-selling Ghost is Brook’s first carbon-neutral running shoe with 62.5 % recycled materials in the upper.
Brooks’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
By 2030, Brooks plans to source a minimum of 50% recycled or renewable materials, but most models currently contain ~30% recycled plastic bottles.
It doesn’t appear their mid or outsoles contain any especially sustainable materials, but their Responsible Chemicals Program ensures everything is safe for wearers and the environment.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Committed to responsible sourcing, Brooks is a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and their factories are evaluated using the HIGG Facility Social Labor Module (FSLM).
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Brooks is on a mission to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 with a climate road map to help them get there. By 2025, they aim to send zero manufacturing waste to landfill and, by 2030, have developed a fully circular performance shoe.
Progress is published in their Corporate Responsibility Report and their Seattle HQ is LEED certified.
Inclusivity:
Committed to making running inclusive and accessible to all, Brooks is a founding partner of the Running Industry Diversity Coalition (RIDC), supporting programs like Front Runners, a worldwide network of LGBTQ+ running clubs.
Vivobarefoot
About Vivobarefoot
Price Range: $120–$195
Did you know rigid, cushioned, and narrow shoes can diminish the natural strength and functionality of our feet?!
Vivobarefoot offers some of the best sustainable running shoes for those who want a minimal barefoot experience. They’re the closest thing to barefoot you can get while still offering full foot protection. You can return them within 100 days at no cost if you discover barefoot shoes aren’t for you.
Vivobarefoot’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
They are incorporating more recycled plastic into uppers and algae-based BLOOM or recycled PU foam into the midsoles. Styles like the Primus Lite IV contains as much as 98% recycled EVA, along with 100% rPET laces and partially recycled plastic upper components.
All road runners are vegan, but some trail shoes use Australian Woolmark-certified wool and Wild Hide ethical leather sourced from small-scale, free-roaming cattle herds in Ethiopia and Thailand.
Supply chain & labor practices:
This Certified B Corp‘s running sneakers are made in Vietnam by manufacturers that adhere to the brand’s code of conduct and ILO standards.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Ranging across material sourcing, emissions, carbon offsetting, water usage, waste management, and more, the brand’s eco-commitments are tracked via annual reports. Vivobarefoot’s Revivo program repairs old footwear for resale or reuse by you—making them one of the best options for repairable shoes.
VEJA
About VEJA
Price Range: $150–$210
The word “Veja” is Brazilian for “look,” inspired by the desire to truly look into what it takes to make a pair of shoes. Three years ago, VEJA released the Condor, their first post-petroleum sustainable workout shoe and the momentum has been endless since.
VEJA’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
These environmentally friendly running shoes are made with 53–62% bio-based and recycled materials.
Uppers are made from 100% recycled polyester and outsoles from sustainably sourced Amazon rubber. The L-foam cushioning contains 30% natural latex and the Pebax® Rnew® inserts provide support. Other materials include sugarcane, rice waste, ricinus oil, and banana oil.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Each pair of running shoes is made in Brazil. VEJA is committed to transparency and shares detailed information about its production process. The Certified B Corp pays twice the market price for its Amazonian wild-grown rubber and fair trade, organic cotton.
70% of a conventional sneaker’s cost is related to advertising. VEJA skips ads altogether, keeping prices low for customers and fair for workers.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
VEJA calculates and published CO2 emissions across all operations, and their shops in France and New York collect old sneakers to be cleaned, recycled, or repaired.
Reebok
About Reebok
Price Range: $80–$110
While not historically known for making the most ethical running shoes, this footwear giant is changing its ways. Reebok is growing its eco offerings with increased use of low-impact and recycled materials.
The shoes in their [REE]GROW line are made from a minimum of 50% plant-based materials, while those in the [REE]CYCLE line feature at least 30% recycled materials.
Reebok’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The Floatride Energy Century Grow in the [REE]GROW line are made from a tree fiber upper, castor bean midsole, and natural rubber outsole. We couldn’t find specifics about the recycled materials used in their [REE]CYCLE line, although their sustainability page indicates they use recycled polyester.
While miles away from being as sustainable as others on this list, it’s a start.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Previously owned by Adidas, Reebok is now owned by Authentic Brands Group and member of the Fair Labor Association. We’re unsure about labor practice specifics, and haven’t received a reply from our outreach yet.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Aside from more sustainable materials, it’s unclear if Reebok is doing anything else to improve its sustainability.
Why Buy Eco-Friendly Running Shoes?
The footwear industry is running laps around our planet—in all the bad ways. It turns out that lacing up is destroying our home. The sneaker industry would be the 17th largest polluter if it were a country.
Traditional running shoes are made with virgin leather, virgin synthetics, and PVC, to name a few. And because running shoes have so many different components, there’s a lot of room for a LOT of unsustainable materials. Even if some are natural and/or recyclable, it’s often difficult to separate them to properly dispose or recycle of each.
To really get our laces in a knot, manufacturing accounts for two-thirds of the carbon footprint due to fossil-fuelled powered plants with high energy requirements.
Bottom line: we buy a lot of shoes—90% of which end up in landfill—so we need to start buying better ones.
