Slow Fashion Favourites | Will's Vegan Shoes

Finding sustainable shoes can be tricky, especially if your feet are wide or high. After a string of expensive high-street pairs that fell apart within months, one brand stood out for its combination of reasonable prices and lasting quality. Many non-leather shoes are cheaply made and come from fast-fashion brands, so Will’s Vegan Shoes was a welcome find. The boots and trainers here sit between £80 and £85 — not cheap, but comparable to what you might pay elsewhere, and they hold up far better than pricier pairs. ## Work Boots in Chestnut The first pair was the Women’s Work Boots in Chestnut. The colour is vibrant and deep, and they needed no breaking in at all. Sizing runs slightly small: if you’re usually a half size, going down to the nearest whole size works well, though sizing up would also be fine with thicker socks. After about a year of wear — five or six days a week, apart from the hottest summer weeks — there is still hardly any wear on the outside. Recently the bottom of the shoes has started to come apart from part of the soles near the toes, so they may need replacing soon unless a cobbler can repair them. The one flaw is that some of the lace rings were accidentally quite sharp, which wore through three pairs of laces in a year. Will’s doesn’t sell replacement laces, so similar ones had to be tracked down online. Despite that, these boots are comfortable and worth buying again. ## Dock Boots in Grey The Women’s Dock Boots in grey took a little longer to break in, especially at the back. They run small, so sizing up is advisable — they’re sturdier and less forgiving on fit than the Work Boots. Once worn in, they feel like they’ll last several years. ## New York White Trainers Will’s makes more than boots. The New York trainers are comfortable and a good basic for pairing with dresses and skirts in warmer months. They get grubby with use, but that’s expected — a good clean brings them back. ## Sizing notes - Work Boots: usually a 37.5, went down to a 37; a 38 would work with thicker socks - Dock Boots: had to size up - New York trainers: true to size — a 37 fitted well Two solid pairs of boots and a pair of trainers are enough to get through the colder months without owning a huge collection. If you know of other ethical shoe brands worth trying, it’s always good to hear about them.