Freerangers (handmade vegan shoes from Tyneside)

Freerangers (also sold on Etsy) offers handmade footwear. Each pair is signed by the maker, and you can send soles back for repair. In a huge array of colours, there are loafers, sandals and boots – and also bags, satchels and even vegan sporrans!

These shoes are not ‘high-fashion’, but they are very comfortable and designed to last years. This is a company that has a loyal fan base, who buy from the same maker each time they want a new pair of shoes.

Why choose vegan footwear?

It’s usually a myth that leather is a by-product of the meat industry. And most shoes are made in the Far East, where animal welfare are very lax. The tanning process is also very polluting, and harmful to the health of factory workers.

Instead, when time comes to replace your shoes or boots, consider investing in a couple of pairs from one of these quality brands. All are made ethically (usually in Europe) from quality materials like Italian microfiber or ‘fruit leathers’, partly made with waste apples, grapes or even grown from cactus!

Easy to clean, just wipe with a clean cloth (the inside of a banana peel also makes good shoe polish). Wear shoes on alternate days, to let them dry out and this helps them to last longer. They should last years, so choose neutral colours to match your outfits.

As most vegan shoes are still sold online, it makes sense to get your feet measured in a shoe shop (tell them you’ll be back to buy their shoes, when they start offering vegan versions!)