The 8 Best Sustainable Shoes to Shop with a Clear(er) Conscience

It can be hard to know how to make a difference in the world. With sustainability at the forefront of our minds these days, it's only natural to wonder how to have an impact. Yeah, you could go vegan, but then you need to completely change your entire lifestyle which can be a big undertaking. You could start showering less, but your colleagues might start to complain when your stench overtakes the meeting room. So for a lot of us, we stick to sustainable practices in ways that fit into our lives—biking to work, making an effort to recycle, turning off the lights, etc. And one of the best ways to help make a difference is probably something you haven't really considered: shoes.

Buying new stuff is never truly sustainable, but recently, many of our favorite footwear brands have been taking ecological footprint reduction quite literally. From vegan sneakers to boots made out of recycled material, companies are delivering more sustainable shoes that are also stylish. There's all types of footwear categories to choose from, too. Outdoor retailers like REI offer hiking boots that fit the bill, while luxury lifestyle brand Golden Goose have a new bio-based model.

To get you started, we've rounded up our 8 favorite sustainable shoes out there today. There's a shoe for you, and it's going to help you reduce your eco-footprint one step at a time.