It’s no secret when it comes to choosing the right pair of sneakers for your personal aesthetic, there is a multitude of brands and styles to choose from. However, if you’re someone who is actively aware of their own individual environmental impact or are new to sustainable fashion and looking for sneakers that are more ethically made, you may not know where to look – or what to look for – when it comes to purchasing shoes that are sustainably and ethically made. 

Thankfully, there are many brands whose standards for the quality and sustainability of their products are top priority, so if you’re on the hunt for a pair of sneakers that benefit everyone from the consumer to the hard workers making the product, then read on to find out why dropping some cash on a pair of ethically made sneakers will forever outweigh buying fast fashion and footwear. 

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Our Favorite Ethical Sneakers – Nisolo Diego Low Top Sneaker

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Smart enough for work and casual enough for the weekend, the 100% living wages, 0% net carbon Diego Low Top is a super ethical pair of sneakers you don’t need to feel guilty about buying.

The Environmental Impact of Sneaker Production

All sneakers are not created equal. In fact, according to a 2020 report, the fashion industry is responsible for 4% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, which is staggering, to say the least. The production of sneakers undoubtedly contributes to that percentage, which is likely higher in today’s current climates, considering the study was conducted using data from 2018. And according to a study done by MIT, researchers found that two-thirds of running shoes and sneaker’s carbon impact comes from the manufacturing process, which is why it’s essential to pay attention to how a product is created and manufactured.