NAE Vegan (quality vegan shoes from Portugal)

NAE Vegan (the name stands for ‘no animals exploited’) is a fantastic footwear brand in Portugal. These ethically-made shoes use eco-friendly materials including fruit waste, and there’s even a pre-loved bargain basement (from shoes that people send back for recycling).

The Preloved range has big discounts. This works by people sending back their old shoes. If the items are in good condition, they then go on sale at the preloved page. If not, then the company donates them to local non-profits so that others feel the benefit of good footwear, just with a few more scratches or a bit worn.

Obviously the images differ, depending on what is on sale at the time. But these pictures are for goods on sale at time of writing. There were some real bargains (walking boots that were 135 Euros now at 35 Euros). And sneakers that were 75 Euros now at 20 Euros.

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!)