Animal Products Used to Make Flats
Like many other types of shoes, flats are often made from animal products. If you’re looking for a cruelty-free footwear alternative, jump down to the list of vegan flats brands below!
Flats are a type of women’s shoes that resemble ballet shoes. They have a very thin heel or no heel at all. There are a few different types of flats, but they are all pretty similar. Whether you’re looking for vegan ballet flats, casual flats, dress flats, espadrilles, Mary Jane flats, or mules, this list of Vegan flats shoes will help you find the style you’re looking for that’s made with cruelty-free materials.
Many flats are designed to look dressy even if they are casual, so the most common animal products used to make them are leather and suede. It’s unlikely that any furs would be used to make flats.
There are many other animal products used to produce footwear, including tricky ingredients like glues and dyes, but you can be sure that the vegan women’s flats on this list are completely free of animal products!
To find the best brand of flats for you, read the quick look and description for each brand below. Here I’ll list some important things about each brand, including price range, styles, and where to buy them online. I included photos to show the brand’s style, but I can’t include all of a brand’s shoes in a single photo, so be sure to check out the other styles and colors on the brand’s website!
Vegan Flats Brands
Quick Look:
- $40 – $90
- 100% vegan-friendly designer brand
Matt & Nat, which stands for “material and nature,” makes designer bags, shoes, clothes, and accessories that are still affordable! All Matt & Nat products are vegan friendly, so you can shop without worrying about what materials were used!
Most Matt & Nat products are for women, so they have a large selection of vegan flats. You can find ballet flats, espadrilles, sneaker flats, sandal-style flats, loafers, mules, and Mary Jane flats! It’s best to shop directly from their website to see the whole selection, but you can also find a few styles on Zappos if you prefer.
Quick Look:
- $15 – $40
- large selection of affordable vegan-friendly shoes
Not all Lulus shoes are vegan-friendly, but for the vegan shoppers, they have a vegan filter on their site that makes it easy to shop for cruelty-free products. Lulus makes a variety of women’s apparel, shoes, and jewelry. And, they have a filter where you can shop only their vegan flats!
In addition to their own brand of shoes, they also sell other brands on their website, but the ones that show up with the vegan filter are still vegan-friendly! You can find vegan leather flats and those made from faux suede along with many other cruelty-free3 styles and varieties!
Quick Look:
- $75 – $140
- stylish flats with slipper-like comfort
Birdies flats are known to be “secretly slippers on the inside.” If you’re looking for comfortable vegan flats, you should definitely check out this brand! Sometimes flats can be uncomfortable (especially if you have wide feet), but you can find stylish flats from Birdies that are surprisingly comfy.
Not all Birdies flats are vegan, but they have a vegan filter on their site so you can only see the shoes that are not made with animal products! Note: When you click on a pair of vegan shoes, only that color is vegan-friendly. If you click on other colors, the material might be made from actual suede or leather.
Quick Look:
- $125 – $175
- 100% vegan brand; shoes are made from recycled materials
Rothy’s flats might be pricier than many other brands, but no brands can hold a candle to Rothy’s. All Rothy’s products are vegan-friendly and ethical. Their shoes are crafted from recycled materials like plastic water bottles, but that doesn’t make them any less comfortable. Also, they are designed to be completely machine washable! If they are dirty, you can just toss them in the washing machine without worrying about ruining them.
There are many styles of Rothy’s flats: The Flat, The Pointe, The Mary Jane, The Loafer, and The Square. You can browse through them all here to find the style you like best!
Quick Look:
- $35 – $130
- casual, durable, supportive, nonstick flats
If you aren’t looking for dress flats and want something more athletic or casual, Jambu might have what you’re looking for. All of their shoes are designed with durability and comfort in mind. They are non-slip in all terrains and will not be damaged by water — perfect for any outdoor adventure.
Jambu’s JBU vegan flats are casual Mary Jane flats that are non-slip and comfortable. Although not all of their footwear is vegan, they also have other styles of vegan shoes, including sneaker-like flats and sandals. Some of the sneaker-style flats received the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Seal of Acceptance for promoting good foot health! Just read the descriptions for each shoe to see what the features are.
Quick Look:
- $40 – $200
- comfortable and supportive flats that stretch and conform to your foot
Arcopedico footwear is designed for maximum comfort and support. These shoes are lightweight, breathable, and conform to the shape of your foot. You can learn all about Arcopedico footwear technology here.
There is no specific filter for flats on their website, but there are many styles to browse through. It’s easy to distinguish between their vegan and non-vegan shoes: all of their vegan shoes will say “Vegan: yes” in the description, and all of the non-vegan shoes will say “vegan: no.” Â I found that it’s easier to browse vegan Arcopedico flats on Zappos, because here you can set all of the filters you want. A popular flat is their Lolita ballet flat, which is made for walking, biodegradable, and comes in 10 different colors!
Quick Look:
- $50 – $60
- 100% vegan brand; all shoes are recyclable
Native Shoes is a 100% vegan-friendly brand, and all of their shoes are recyclable! They have shoes for men, women, and kids. The Audrey Collection is a vegan flat line by Native Shoes. You can see all colors in the Audrey Collection here.
You can find all Native Shoes products on their website, but if you prefer to shop on Zappos, they also have some styles available there!
Journee Collection Flats
Buy Online:  Zappos |  JourneeCollection.com (look for “vegan” in the descriptions)
Quick Look:
- $40 – $60
Journee Collection has a wide variety of stylish flats to choose from, and many of them are vegan-friendly! There is no simple vegan filter on their site, so you have to read the descriptions for each shoe. Just look for the phrase “vegan” or “vegan-friendly” in the details drop-down box for each style.
If you don’t want to read the descriptions for each shoe, you can also find some Journee Collection vegan flats on Zappos!
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