Are Vegan Shoes Durable?
Given the increasing popularity of vegan footwear and veganism in general, people are trying to find answers to the many questions related to this topic. An important and commonly raised question is about the durability of vegan shoes. So, are vegan shoes durable?
Yes, vegan shoes are durable. However, when compared to other materials, multiple parameters can question their durability. In this article, you will find out everything you need to know about the durability of vegan shoes.
Contents
How long do vegan shoes last on average?
The answer to this question is not as simple as it might seem. Depending on what materials vegan shoes were made of and the amount of milage walked or ran in them, the number can vary. Also, the maintenance of the shoes is very important because, if not treated correctly, they can last only a month or two.
However, the average life of a vegan pair of shoes is from 9 months for canvas and fabric to 3 or 4 years for vegan leather, plastic fiber, and other synthetical materials that can last a lot longer than a simple piece of cloth.
Are vegan shoes less durable than non-vegan ones?
Like other aspects of footwear, it mainly depends on the type of shoes that you choose to compare, as different types of shoes are made from different materials. The most popular and, in my opinion, correct comparison to choose from is leather boots made of actual leather and leather boots made of vegan leather.
In this case, the actual leather shoes are not only more durable, and longevity but also are more eco-friendly than the vegan leather ones. The animal-based leather shoes can live for 10+ years, whereas their vegan competitor survives a maximum of 5-7 years. Another thing that makes leather shoes more durable than vegan leather shoes is the ability to renew the shoe’s stitching and other non-vital parts.
To sum up, all I have said in this paragraph is that vegan shoes are perhaps, not as durable as non-vegan ones because the materials are different, and the durability cannot be fairly compared.
Also read: Best Vegan Running Shoes
Why are vegan shoes less durable?
First of all, the proprieties of animal-based materials are a lot more complex and variable than the properties of every chemical known by humankind. Leather, for example, can be used for 10-15+ years if properly maintained and stitched every time the fiber gets worn out. There isn’t a single vegan material that could hold up for so long, and it’s completely fine. There is nothing to do about it.
Another reason that doesn’t let vegan shoes be as durable as their opponents are the glue. Synthetical glue is very fragile and gets worn out a lot faster than its opponent, animal-based glue. In addition to that, vegan shoes often contain a more significant percentage of cement than non-vegan shoes because non-vegan shoes are often stitched, a procedure that can eradicate the glue part. Therefore, if the glue in a vegan shoe is no longer capable of holding the shoes together, you’ll not be able to repair it.
If we are talking about repairing and maintenance, vegan shoes are also a lot harder to repair, almost impossible if we talk about some canvas or fabric shoes. Non-vegan shoes, on the contrary, can be repaired multiple times.
Also Read: Are Vegan Shoes Made out of Plastic?
Conclusion
To sum up, everything I said in this article, vegan shoes are less durable than non-vegan shoes, but it doesn’t make them a lot worse for basic daily activities. You just have to keep in mind the fact that, no matter how qualitative and expensive they are, the non-vegan analogs are practically always better in terms of durability.
