Australia is one of the best and most exotic shopping destinations across the globe. From handcrafter domestic products to internationally renowned brands, and from acclaimed designers to conventional aboriginal artists, the land of Oz has all there is to satisfy your shopping cravings.
Of the many shopping adventures that you can experience in the land down under, buying vegan shoes Australia is one thing you should not miss. Purchasing these types of pairs is very challenging, whether you have been doing it for so long, or still very new to securing this pair.
The most tedious task is knowing how you can be sure that the pair you’re eyeing is vegan. So here are handy steps to help you with your buying for a pair of cruelty-free, vegan shoes.
Understand the Material
It is commonly known that knowledge is power. Before buying, it’s best to familiarise yourself with several types of cruelty-free and vegan materials. The most popular materials used for vegan shoes are as follows (bio-based and synthetic). For example, consider these sustainable women’s shoes that use cork, recycled PET, among other sustainable materials to create their fashionable shoes!
- Polyurethane
- Microfibre
- Pineapple leather
- Biobased Polyurethane (PU)
- PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
- Recycled PET bottles
- Cork
- Goretex
- Natural fibre
- Microsuede
- Waxed Canvass
Check Product Line and Brands
Ideally, try to look at a brand’s product line. Check their website and understand their vegan shoe policy. Several shoe brands today promote their vegan footwear line, so obtaining these pieces of information is readily available online. For the brands with no policy, you should stick with the transparent manufacturers or those established vegan brands.
Buy Only From Reputable Shops
There was a growing number of retail shops distributing vegan shoes in 2019. Online shopping platforms like Amazon and Zappos have started selling these shoes as well. The best part about e-commerce retailers is that they allow online shoppers the chance to browse and search for vegan options. This gives you ample time to search for more options directly from an online shop. However, be wary of what product information a site provides because they could be inaccurate.
Check the Shoe Physically
It’s always wise to perform a physical check of the pair before you buy them. It only takes a few minutes, and doing so can help you rule out pairs that may have leather components. Pay extra care to the entire upper part of the shoe. Double-check the tabs, laces, heels, tongues, and all the other necessary branding.
You should also inspect the inner part of the shoes. This is tricky, especially if you’re buying your pair online. For websites that don’t allow you to do a 360-degree visual check, always proceed with extra caution. Always ensure that nothing looks like suede or leather.
Check the Tag
When buying in a physical store, more frequently, the display model will have labels or handy stickers on the tongue, heel, or insole. You can see here a visual representation of the types of materials utilised.
The secret here is to check for the “leather symbol.” This looks like a splayed-out animal hide. Synthetic or textile labelling is proper to go even if it looks like leather (provided though that it is not mislabeled).
Check the Shoemaker’s Company
Nothing is better than getting the precise word directly from the source itself. This is specifically helpful if there are pairs with ambiguous descriptions of their materials.
Author: Stephi LaReine
