It’s September’s Zero Waste Week! Launched in 2008 in the UK by Rachelle Strauss, it is now celebrated as a global initiative to raise awareness of the waste we produce, encouraging businesses and individuals alike to take steps to minimise or repurpose it.
At Vegan Fashion Repository, we cannot stress enough that going animal-free in fashion is only the beginning. True ethics and sustainability must embrace both animal and environmental welfare. While it may seem contradictory at times – as promoting vegan fashion does involve introducing new products into an already over-supplied market – we are genuinely excited to highlight this week’s edit of shoes made by repurposing food and synthetic waste, one pair at a time.
Let’s quite literally kick off the Zero Waste lifestyle.
You’re all welcome.
Uriduri Silver by ID.EIGHT (Italy)
Main materials: apple leather, corn leather, GRS- and RCS-certified polyamide, polyester, rubber, post-production scrap rubber, and eco-rubber.
ID.EIGHT was founded by Dong Seon Lee and Giuliana Borzillo, two seasoned footwear industry professionals. The brand creates trainers from food industry waste (such as corn, apple, and grape) combined with recycled materials (plastic and cotton), all with a distinctive 1990s aesthetic. This model features a coloured sole with an orange spoiler, ensuring both support and comfort, plus an antibacterial, anti-odour insole.
Regular price: €189,00
Diane Apple Loafers by Agazi (Poland)
Main materials: apple leather, cork, bamboo fibre.
Agazi uses low-impact natural materials and innovative technology to move towards “zero impact”. Most models are made using the Strobel method – a technique that results in footwear that is more flexible, durable, and comfortable than traditionally constructed shoes. This method also optimises material use, significantly reduces production waste, and requires 70–80% less adhesive. Their shoes are crafted by local artisans in Central-Eastern Poland, where over 90% of the team are women.
Regular price: €240,00
Marc Ivory by Clandestina (Spain)
Main materials: rice husks from Albufera and Calasparra rice grains, post-consumer recycled polyester, DM-free PU.ee PU
Clandestina is a sustainable footwear brand committed to revolutionising fashion through ethical, ecological, and local production. Their shoes use natural raw materials and recycled components – such as soles made from recycled waste (like rice husks) – along with recycled polyester and recycled PU. Light, comfortable, and designed for everyday wear, their footwear comes in 100% recyclable and reusable packaging, reflecting their dedication to originality, quality, and respect for nature.
Regular price: €89,90
Open 21 Triple Black by The Rice Society (Germany)
Main materials: rice grains and chaff, vegan corn leather, organic cotton.
The Rice Society makes sneakers using waste from the European food industry – valuable materials are repurposed and given new life. To minimise waste, low-waste cutting techniques are employed, and even offcuts from sole production are melted down and reused. Products are made under fair working conditions in Portugal and Spain.
Regular price: €159,00
Cépage Merlot by Minuit Sur Terre (France)
Main materials: grape waste, recycled polyester, recycled PU, recycled rubber.
Staying true to its catchy motto “no leather no cry”, Minuit Sur Terre offers a wide range of products made from plant-based leather alternatives, including grape, apple, cereal, and recycled plastics and cotton. Since 2016, its products have been crafted in the same family-run workshops in Portugal, keeping the supply chain as local as possible to minimise carbon impact.
Regular price: €135,00
Billy White by Venus is Vegan (The Netherlands)
Main materials: apple leather, thermoplast.
Venus is Vegan handcrafts shoes in Portugal using apple leather from Italy, ensuring no animal-derived ingredients while creating designs that are as ethical as they are captivating.
Regular price: €189,00
Explore more vegan and sustainable shoes in our Directory.