13 Best Shoes like Vans: Sustainable Alternatives to Vans [2022]

Sustainability: Certified B Corporation using sustainable materials and ethical manufacturing. Every pair = two trees planted.

Best for: Skate shoes like Vans, slip on styles

Ships to: Worldwide

Cariuma is the ultimate sustainable Vans alternative. The Brazilian footwear brand focuses on creating its shoes as eco-friendly as possible using sustainable materials, including responsibly sourced leather, suede, and natural fabrics, including organic cotton and bamboo.

The result is a high-performance sneaker that can keep up with everyday wear and the demands of a skateboarding shoe, thanks to its cushioning soles and robust design. In addition, the brand has styles to rival Vans Old Skool, Vans authentic, and Vans slip on styles.

Sustainability: Sustainable and natural materials, including eucalyptus tree fibers, carbon-negative EVA sole, and recycled plastic laces. Certified B Corp.

Best for: Shoes like Vans slip on

Ships to: Worldwide

Allbirds are one of the most popular sustainable shoe brands right now, thanks to their ultra-comfortable sustainable sneakers.

The brand is a certified B Corp, meaning they meet high ethical and environmental production standards.

We love the Allbirds slip on style as an alternative to the Vans style, as it’s made with natural fibers and features a durable EVA sole made from sugarcane.

However, one drawback of Allbirds is that they don’t offer any vegan styles.

Sustainability: Vegan sneakers with sustainable materials and ethical production

Best for: Sustainable shoes that like Converse Chuck Taylor and Vans Old Skool

Ships to: Worldwide

Etiko is perfect if you’re looking for shoes like converse or vans.

Etiko is an Australian brand creating shoes that do good for people and the planet. The brand only uses sustainable materials, including hemp and a natural rubber sole, making its shoes in audited ethical factories.

We love the slip on and skate-style shoes which look like Vans but aren’t; they’re much more eco-friendly.

Sustainability: Fair Trade, PETA-certified vegan sneakers

Best for: Vegan shoes like Vans

Ships to: Worldwide

Ethletic is a stand-out sustainable sneaker brand creating award-winning styles ethically and sustainably. The brand uses eco-friendly and fair-trade materials like organic cotton to create its best-selling shoes.

The brand has styles similar to the Vans authentic and Vans slip-on models in its Fair Skater, Kole, and Hiro styles. In addition, Ethletic also has a range of cool patterns and colors in its collection.

The brand has a fully traceable supply chain so you know exactly where your shoes are made!

Sustainability: Minimalist shoes made from recycled plastic bottles

Best for: Slip-on and minimalist sneakers

Ships to: Worldwide

If you’re looking for shoes like Vans made from recycled plastic, look no further than Rothy’s, an American shoe brand turning recycled plastic bottles into sustainable shoes.

Like Vans, Rothy’s features a minimal drop sole and a slip-on style. Rothy’s shoes are completely machine washable, making them easy to care for and maintain.

Unfortunately, Rothy’s doesn’t have the same slip-on sneaker styles available in its men’s collection and currently only offers one slip-on style for men.

Sustainability: 100% vegan footwear, made using reduced water and energy usage.

Best for: Waterproof shoes

Ships to: Worldwide

On the hunt for waterproof shoes like Vans, check out Vessi, the Canadian shoe brand standing out from the crowd by creating 100% waterproof knitted sneakers made from 100% vegan materials.

The Weekend Sneaker style is an excellent Vans alternative, as it features a thick flat style sole, similar to Vans. In addition, each of Vessi’s shoes is vegan, waterproof, and machine washable. Plus, the brand has recently released a knitted slip on style.

However, one drawback is the lack of color choice, with the Weekend style only available in five colors.

Sustainability: Shoes made from recycled plastic bottles

Best for: Minimalist shoe with minimal drop sole

Ships to: the US & International

SUAVS Zilker shoe is a great alternative to Vans. The model features a minimalist sole with 3-5 mm heel to toe drop and is available in either white or gum sole styles.

SUAVS creates its uppers from 100% post-consumer recycled threads and has diverted almost one hundred thousand plastic bottles away from landfills and into its signature shoes.

SUAVS also makes a slip on shoe that looks like Vans slip on, the Barton; however, the shoe has a limited color choice and is currently only available in black.

Sustainability: Certified B Corp, creating travel shoes from recycled materials

Best for: Travel shoes

Ships to: Worldwide

Meet the most funded sneaker ever on Kickstarter, Tropicfeel.

Tropicfeel is a wildcard for the list of shoes like Vans. The brand doesn’t have any styles that match the skate shoe look of Vans. However, they are still a fantastic alternative to Vans.

Tropicfeel shoes are travel-friendly, easily packable, and ultra-comfortable for all-day wear. Plus, the brand uses sustainable materials and ethical production to create its sneakers.

Sustainability: 100% waterproof sneakers made from hemp

Best for: Waterproof shoes that look like Vans

Ships to: Worldwide

Shoes made from hemp? Yep, you read that correctly.

8000kicks is the revolutionary shoe brand creating waterproof sneakers from the breathable, renewable material hemp.

The brand is launching its new release sneaker, the Seeker, which is perfect if you’re looking for sustainable shoes that look like Vans.

The Seeker features a flat minimalist sole and skate shoe style. Plus, it’s completely vegan and made with no animal materials.

Sustainability: Sustainable and natural materials, including eucalyptus tree fibers, carbon-negative EVA sole, and recycled plastic laces. Certified B Corp.

Best for: Lace-up minimalist shoe style

Ships to: Worldwide

We’ve included Allbirds on this list with the Allbirds loungers, but we think Allbirds Tree Pipers are also a great option when looking for shoes like Vans.

The Tree piper model is lightweight, features a minimal flat sole, and is available in various colors.

As mentioned previously, Allbirds use sustainable materials and ethical production to create its shoes, making them a great sustainable alternative to Vans.

We’ve tested the shoes personally; you can read our thoughts here.

Sustainability: Recycled shoes made from recycled materials and plastic bottles

Best for: Stan Smith style shoes, and shoes like Vans Old Skool

Ships to: The US

Thousand Fell is smashing the sustainable shoe market with its minimalist shoes, which rival Vans and Stan Smith styles.

Thousand Fells’s minimalist design features a flat skate-style sole with a 21mm outsole height. The footwear brand creates its shoes from recycled materials, including recycled plastic bottles and natural rubber soles. Plus, Thousand Fell’s shoes are entirely vegan and cruelty-free.

Sustainability: SeaCycled™ range includes shoes made from recycled plastic and five recycled plastic bottles per shoe.

Best for: Shoes like Vans authentic

Ships to: the US & International

Sperry’s SeaCycled™ range includes some great shoes that look like Vans Authentic skate shoes.

Made with recycled ocean and land plastics, up to five plastic bottles are used to create each pair of SeaCycled™ shoes.

Unfortunately, a drawback is that Sperry only currently produces this style in its men’s range.

Sustainability: Hemp shoes ethically made in the EU, PETA-Approved Vegan certified

Best for: Shoes like Vans slip-on

Ships to: the EU & International

If you’re looking for an ethical skate shoe like Vans, check out Bohempia, a cool European brand creating hemp skate shoes.

Hemp is a fantastic alternative to cotton as hemp requires less water and can be grown without pesticides – it makes sense to us!

Bohempia creates classic slip on styles with a flatbed sole, barefoot minimalist styles, lace-up high-tops, and low styles like the Vans Authentic style.