Comfy, animal- and environmentally-friendly heels

I just discovered a brand of shoes that I thought some of you might be interested in, because I know some of you are like me and don't buy leather, and because I thought they might be good for those of you with fussy feet.

The brand is called Melissa. The shoes are plastic, but don't look like Crocs or seem cheap at all. They use recycled materials in making the shoes, and 99.9% of waste and water used in production is recycled. And because the shoes are plastic/rubber, no animals die to make your shoes.

They have a TON of flats and low heels, and well as higher heels. The footbed of the shoe is really comfy, and kind of molds to your foot after a few wearings.

I only heard of this brand a few weeks ago, but I bought a pair and thought it was really comfy. I will admit that I do NOT have fussy feet, but I heard about them from a friend who only wears flats because she can't handle heels, and she bought a three inch heel from them and thought it was really comfortable.

I think that some of the designs are out there, but others are really cute. I would definitely describe some of it as funky and fashion-forward. Anyway, their website is melissaplasticdreams.com, and I have found a number of styles at epauletshop.com. Just thought some of you might be interested in trying them out!

16 years ago

Inge

(website)

Moderator

Thanks for letting us know! They even have a Belgian website. I'll keep an eye out for them, I'm curious now and would like to seem them irl.

Maya

Veteran

I tried to limit myself to vegan footwear when I first went veg, around 2003, and couldn't find ANYTHING that pleased my fussy feet (which have since grown fussier). The fact that they do not stretch well makes them impossible for me.

While I doubt I'll ever be able to make the transition completely, having more animal-friendly options in my closet would make me feel a lot better. Have you ever tried/heard of Novacas Steph? They make some cute styles but I have yet to put them on my feet.

http://www.mooshoes.com/catego.....ycount/240

Their claim is that their shoes stretch and breathe like leather but I wonder if they would stretch as much as I need them to.

I'm in LOVE with the last pair of oxfords on the Melissa page! It looks like it has studs or something. Anyway, they are fab.

Steph

Maya, I was actually thinking of you when I posted this thread!

I agree that finding vegan shoes is *really* difficult. So often, I find that shoes that are specifically made for vegans are clunky and not at all cute. I had never heard of Novacas, but now I'm interested. I liked a couple of the knee-high boots they had there. My issue is that I really love *high* heels (I'm in the YLF minority), and vegan shoes in high heels are not easy to find.

I have to admit that most of my shoe collection is Stella McCartney, because she only makes vegan shoes, and she seems to adore heels of 4+ inches. Sadly, that means that I spend a lot more on shoes than I would if I purchased leather. Luckily, I have fantastic luck finding her stuff on super sale, either at yoox.com or on ebay. But like you said Maya, most of her shoes don't stretch (although I have a pair of knee-high boots of hers that have stretched a bit--I'm not quite sure how).

A year or two ago, Natalie Portman started a vegan shoe line for Te Casan. I was really excited about that, but Te Casan closed its doors a few months ago, so those shoes are gone. Sometimes I think about starting my own vegan shoe company.

lwc

Active Member

If someone created narrow (2A), cute, vegan shoes, I'd go for them! Ahhh, a girl can dream...

cciele

Thanks Steph! I'll definitely check them out. I wear leather, but like to do business with eco-conscious companies.

Terra Plana is another eco shoe company to check out. They use a lot of recycled materials, and some of the shoes are vegan. I have a pair of flats from their Vivo Barefoot line.

medusa

Steph, thanks for posting this.

I would wear your line Steph, if you throw a few 2" or less heels into the mix! By sheer coincidence I just saw an episode of WNTW today with a vegan girl who bought a pair of gorgeous Stella McCartney pumps and thought of you.

I actually found a pair of boots from Te Casan that I LOVED but they were just too pricey for me. Endless still has a few pairs of shoes left, but not for my fussy feet.

Have you tried Vegan Chic? They have some decently high shoes for some outrageously low prices. If I had someone else's feet I would be all over these:

http://www.veganchic.com/produ.....-0035.html

Another brand who makes pretty things, though not too much in your desired heel height:

http://www.neuaurashoes.com/index.php

Category