Vegan sportswear and footwear: What to choose?
In today's world, more and more people are opting for a vegan lifestyle, not only in terms of diet, but also in all aspects of their lives - including their choice of clothes and shoes.
For many athletes, vegan sportswear and footwear is an important step towards making their lifestyle consistent with their ethical values.
But what exactly does vegan sportswear and footwear mean? What materials should you look for and which brands offer truly vegan products?
What does vegan clothing and footwear mean?
Vegan clothing and shoes do not contain any materials of animal origin.
This includes not only the obvious materials such as leather, wool or silk, but also various by-products that are often used in textile and footwear production, such as animal collagen-based adhesives or animal-derived dyes.
In the context of sportswear, this means that the products must not contain leather, wool, silk or other materials obtained from animals.
Instead, synthetic and plant-based alternatives are used, which often have better performance characteristics and are much more sustainable.
Materials used in vegan sportswear
1. Recycled materials
One of the most popular materials in vegan sportswear is recycled polyester. Polyester is traditionally made from petroleum, which is neither vegan nor eco-friendly.
However, many brands now use recycled plastics, such as from PET bottles, to make sportswear. Recycled polyester has the same advantages as regular polyester – it is light, dries quickly and wicks away sweat well, but is much more environmentally friendly.
2. Bamboo
Bamboo is a plant that grows quickly and does not require pesticides or excessive amounts of water, making it an environmentally friendly raw material.
Bamboo fiber is breathable, antibacterial and naturally wicks away moisture, making it ideal for making sportswear. In addition, it is very soft and pleasant to the touch, which you will appreciate especially during intensive training.
3. Tencel (lyocell)
Tencel is another eco-friendly material that is made from wood cellulose. It is very soft, breathable and absorbs moisture better than cotton. In addition, it is biodegradable and environmentally friendly in production, making it a great choice for vegan sportswear.
4. Cork
Cork is a less traditional but increasingly popular material for making vegan sports shoes. It is light, durable and waterproof, which makes it an ideal material for insoles and other parts of sports shoes.
In addition, cork is a renewable resource, as it is harvested from the bark of trees without damaging them.
5. Organic cotton
Cotton is a natural material, but not all cotton is environmentally friendly. Organic cotton is grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, meaning it has less impact on the environment.
Cotton is breathable and soft, making it ideal for comfortable sportswear such as t-shirts or sweatpants.
Vegan sports shoes: What to look for?
As with clothing, it is important to pay attention to materials and manufacturing processes when choosing vegan sports shoes. Here are the key aspects you should look out for.
1. Without using leather
Leather is one of the most common materials used in footwear, especially sports footwear. However, there are great alternatives for vegan products, such as artificial leather made from polyurethane (PU) or recycled materials.
These synthetic materials are often lighter and more durable than traditional leather, improving the shoe's performance.
2. Adhesives without animal ingredients
Many shoes are glued with glues that contain animal collagen. However, vegan brands use synthetic glues that are just as effective but do not use any animal ingredients.
3. Sustainable soles
The soles of vegan shoes can be made from recycled materials or natural rubber, which is a greener alternative to synthetic rubber made from petroleum.
Natural rubber is durable, flexible and long-lasting, making it a great choice for athletic footwear.
4. Alternative materials
In addition to leather, there are other animal products to avoid when choosing vegan shoes, such as wool or silk.
Fortunately, there are many innovative materials that replace them. For example, some brands use materials made from pineapple fibers (Piñatex) or sponges, which are fully vegan and ecological alternatives.
Brands offering vegan sportswear and footwear
In recent years, many brands have appeared on the market that specialize in vegan products or have vegan collections in their menu. Here are a few of them:
1. Veja
Veja is a French shoe brand that offers several models of completely vegan shoes. Their shoes are made from eco-friendly materials such as organic cotton, recycled plastics and natural rubber.
Veja is known for its transparency and commitment to sustainable production.
2. Adidas
Adidas is one of the big sports brands that is starting to focus on vegan products. Their Adidas Stan Smith Vegan collection is one of their most popular vegan footwear models that has gained a lot of popularity around the world.
Adidas also invests in innovative materials such as recycled plastic from the oceans.
3. Athletic
Ethletic is a brand that specializes in vegan shoes and clothing. Their shoes are made from organic cotton and natural rubber and are certified vegan.
In addition, Ethletic is known for supporting fair working conditions for workers in developing countries.
4. Nae Vegan Shoes
This Portuguese brand focuses exclusively on vegan footwear. It offers a wide range of styles from sports shoes to elegant shoes and sandals.
Nae Vegan Shoes uses materials such as recycled plastic, cork and Piñatex, an environmentally sustainable material made from pineapple leaf fibers.
5. Patagonia
Patagonia is known for its commitment to environmental protection and sustainable manufacturing processes.
Although they do not offer exclusively vegan products, their collection includes a range of vegan sportswear made from recycled and eco-friendly materials.
Benefits of vegan sportswear and footwear
1. Ethics and responsibility
The main advantage of vegan clothing and footwear is the ethical aspect. By avoiding products of animal origin, you support a humane approach to animals and contribute to the fight against their abuse in the fashion industry.
For many athletes, it is important that their equipment is in line with their moral values, and vegan products fulfill this need.
2. Environmental friendliness
Vegan sportswear and footwear often include sustainable materials such as recycled plastics, organic cotton, bamboo or natural rubber.
These materials have less impact on the environment than traditional products from animal sources such as leather or wool. In addition, many vegan brands focus on reducing CO2 emissions and using environmentally friendly manufacturing practices.
3. Innovation and quality
Nowadays, the materials used in vegan products are often of the same (or even higher) quality than traditional ones.
For example, synthetic leather can be more resistant to water and scratches than real leather. Recycled polyester fabrics offer high durability, flexibility and breathability.
Vegan shoes and clothes are therefore not only ethical, but also functional and suitable for various sports activities.
4. Support of innovative technologies
Vegan clothes and shoes often use the latest technological innovations, for example in the production of materials from waste products (recycled PET bottles) or from natural alternatives (Piñatex, mushrooms, cork).
By investing in these products, you support the development of these sustainable technologies, which can have a positive impact on the entire industry.
How to choose vegan sportswear and shoes?
1. Trusted certifications
If you want to be sure that the products you are buying are truly vegan, it is a good idea to look for certifications from organizations that specialize in vegan and sustainable products.
The best-known certifications include PETA-Approved Vegan, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Fair Trade and Cradle to Cradle.
These certifications guarantee that the products do not contain animal ingredients and have been produced with sustainability and ethics in mind.
2. Brand transparency
When choosing vegan clothing and footwear, it's important to look at how transparent the brands you're buying are.
Brands that openly share their manufacturing processes, material sources and ethical standards are often the ones you can trust. Many brands offer detailed information on their websites about how they make their products and where their materials come from.
3. Sustainable packaging
Vegan products should go hand in hand with ecological principles even in the field of packaging.
Many brands try to minimize waste and use recyclable or biodegradable packaging. When choosing your sports equipment, also focus on how the brands approach this issue.
4. Features suitable for sports
Of course, sports clothes and shoes should fulfill their main functions - that is, to ensure comfort, performance and support during physical activity.
When choosing vegan products, look for key parameters such as breathability, durability, quick drying, flexibility and foot support. Vegan materials such as recycled polyester or bamboo often offer the same (or better) properties than conventional materials.
The future of vegan sportswear
As more and more people choose to live an ethical and sustainable lifestyle, the demand for vegan sportswear and footwear is growing rapidly.
This demand encourages brands to invest in research and development of new materials that are more environmentally friendly and fully vegan.
We are already seeing the emergence of innovative materials such as fabrics made from plant fibers, biodegradable plastics or synthetic leather made from fungi.
Additionally, with the growing awareness of sustainability and the environmental impact of the fashion industry, it is expected that vegan products will become more and more available in mainstream sports brands as well.
Brands such as Adidas, Nike or Puma are already investing in vegan collections and introducing sustainable practices into their production processes.
Conclusion
Today, choosing vegan sportswear and footwear is easier than ever, thanks to the growing number of brands that offer products that are animal-free and environmentally friendly.
Whether you are a novice athlete or a professional, you can be sure that there is a wide range of quality, ethical and sustainable products on the market to support your active lifestyle.
When shopping, look for materials, certifications and brand transparency to make sure your sports gear is truly vegan and planet-friendly.
