Updated: January 2024
Barefoot shoes make for happy and healthy feet. They help naturally strenghten our muscles, improve our posture and balance, and offer sweet relief to the much too common knee and back pain.
For their countless health benefits, barefoot shoes are making waves across the world and vegan barefoot shoes among them. For both new or seasoned barefooters, we have listed the best vegan minimalist and barefoot shoes for you to explore.
There are lots of amazing European and American shoe producers that are either entirely vegan or have a great vegan barefoot selection made ethically and sustainably. From Vivobarefoot to Ahinsa, once you go zero drop, you never go back!
Vegan Barefoot Running Shoes
Vegan Barefoot Boots
Vegan Barefoot Flats
Vegan Barefoot Dress Shoes
Vegan Barefoot Sandals
Vegan Barefoot Kids’ Shoes
Best Vegan Barefoot Shoes 2024
Here are the best vegan barefoot shoes for men and women available in USA. Built from high-tech vegan materials, these brands help promote foot health when walking, hiking, and running – in a 100% cruelty-free way.
Vivobarefoot – top pick!
Vivobarefoot’s vegan shoes are the ultimate fan favorite. The shoes are modern and well-built with an ultra-thin puncture resistance sole designed for natural feet movement. Their vegan barefoot collection is eco-friendly and uses natural, recycled, and biobased materials.
Great for: eco-friendly vegan barefoot shoes, running shoes, sneakers, boots
Lems Shoes
Lems Shoes from USA offers also a fantastic collection of vegan barefoot shoes for men and women. The zero-drop boots and shoes are comfortable and flexible using high-quality vegan materials.
Great for: vegan barefoot shoes, trail shoes, boots
BeLenka
Vegan barefoot shoes from BeLenka guarantee all-day comfort with a wide toe-box and zero-drop design. The shoes are stylish and casual using cruelty-free canvas and other high-grade, animal-friendly materials.
Great for: vegan barefoot shoes and sneakers
Leguano Shoes
German-based Leguano has a great collection of quality vegan shoes and boots made with Lifolit® – hi-tech sole designed to simulate the feeling of walking barefoot. Their top vegan models are Aktiv, Style, Go Mixed, Denim Sand and the Leguanitos.
Great for: vegan barefoot shoes, boots, ballet flats
Xero Shoes
For runners of every kind, we cannot recommend Xero Shoes enough. They offer currently two 100% vegan lines: the Prio and Terraflex, first one designed for fitness, other for rugged trail runs. Made with premium materials, these are the best vegan zero-drop performance shoes out there.
Great for: vegan barefoot running shoes
Whitin – bestseller!
Whitin’s minimalist barefoot sneaker is a bestseller on Amazon – and it’s also 100% vegan. The shoe is super affordable featuring an animal-friendly canvas upper and non-slip rubber sole. The casual sneaker is available in many different colorways.
Great for: vegan barefoot sneakers
Fitkicks
Fitkicks minimalist barefoot shoes are fun, cheap, and vegan-friendly. Using a combination of microfiber, polyester and PU leather, these colorful slip-on shoes are perfect for traveling, yoga, and exercising.
Great for: vegan barefoot flats and exercise shoes
Astral
Based in North Carolina, Astral is a vegan brand that crafts high-performance minimalist shoes for hiking, trailing, and everyday wear.
Using primarily sustainable and natural vegan materials, we love their Loyak sneaker made from industrial hemp. Thanks to hemp’s natural qualities, the shoe is super durable, highly breathable, and water-friendly.
Great for: vegan barefoot sneakers, boots, sandals, water shoes
SHOP WOMEN’S LOYAK
SHOP MEN’S LOYAK
Arcopedico USA
Arcopedico USA is famous for their soft barefoot shoes, boots, and flats for women. And the company’s bestselling Lytech and Elstech collections are 100% vegan-friendly.
Lovingly known as “Shocks” (practical like shoes, comfortable like socks), their beloved LS trainer has a snug knitted nylon upper and twin-arch-supported sole designed to allow circulation and unmatched comfort.
Great for: women’s vegan barefoot sneakers, flats, boots
Magical Shoes
Magical Shoes has a good quality selection of vegan barefoot walking shoes. The shoes are super comfortable and made with elastic and lightweight zero-drop sole. Produced sustainably in Europe.
Great for: ethical vegan barefoot sneakers and sandals
SHOP MAGICAL SHOES HERE – use the code TOPVEGAN for 10% off
Groundies
Groundies is a German brand with a kickass vegan minimalist shoe collection. Designed for the urban person, the shoes feature super soft and flexible fabrics with a zero-drop construction. Made ethically in the EU.
All Groundies leather-free sneakers are vegan, including their bestselling Sydney and Kopenhagen. Boots, not so much though.
Great for: ethical vegan barefoot sneakers
Joe Nimble
Joe Nimble is one of the leaders in functional footwear with a quality collection of vegan barefoot shoes and boots. Combining durable mesh and textile upper with Michelin zero-heel soles, the shoes promote foot health and stability.
Great for: vegan barefoot running shoes, boots, sneakers, sandals
Ahinsa
Ahinsa is a 100% vegan brand that specializes in high-quality barefoot shoes for women and men. They offer lots of different styles of barefoot sneakers, dress shoes, and boots designed by physiotherapists and produced ethically in Czech Republic.
Great for: vegan barefoot shoes, boots, sneakers, dress shoes, flats
Bohempia
Another superb vegan company – Bohempia – casual barefoot sneakers made with hemp that is naturally durable, antimicrobial, and moisture-wicking. Not all Bohempia’s designs are barefoot but their barefoot styles are amazing. Handmade in Europe.
Great for: vegan barefoot sneakers
Feelgrounds
Feelgrounds is a 100% vegan brand that crafts stylish barefoot sneakers in a variety of lace-up, slip-on, high-rise, and low-rise styles. The unisex shoes are casual with a high-quality knit upper and thin Feelgrounds TPE outsole.
Great for: vegan barefoot sneakers
Oesh
American brand Oesh designs women’s vegan barefoot shoes with a primary focus on foot health. All shoes are 100% vegan and made in Charlottesville, Virginia based on Dr. Kerrigan’s scientific research on women’s health and bodies.
Great for: women’s vegan barefoot flats, clogs, sneakers
SOM Footwear
When looking for American-made vegan shoes, you might also stumble across American-made vegan barefoot shoes. Crafted in Colorado, SOM sneakers have some quality vegan styles such as the HiLite.
The minimalist shoe has a strong SuperFabric® upper with a wide toebox that allows for improved balance and air-flow. The mid-top style provides ankle protection from dust, rocks, and dirt.
Great for: vegan barefoot sneakers and hiking shoes
Earth Runners
Made in California, these beautiful minimalist barefoot sandals are 100% vegan and sustainably made. Featuring a Vibram sole and Earth-Grip footbed, you are free to enjoy the ultimate adventure sandal experience.
Great for: vegan barefoot sandals
Zaqq
If you are looking for waterproof vegan barefoot shoes, Zaqq is a great choice. Made with quality vegan leather, their vegan barefoot shoes are weather-resistant with a supple and breathable lining. Handmade and ethical.
Great for: vegan barefoot shoes, boots, sneakers
Muki Shoes
Muki Shoes offers a line of vegan barefoot sneakers for men and women with a goal to provide a healthier alternative to stiff conventional footwear. Our favorite is the Aqua sneaker featuring an upcycled cotton upper and natural rubber sole.
Great for: vegan barefoot sneakers
Tadeevo
Tadeevo’s barefoot shoes are designed to be ultra-flexible in both axes (torsion and bending) with a zero heel-to-toe drop. Located in picturesque Southern Poland, the company has a small vegan-friendly shoe line with some quality sneakers, flats, and boots.
Great for: vegan barefoot shoes, ballet flats, sneakers, boots
Sole Runner
Sole Runner demonstrates the height of German engineering with high-quality ergonomic barefoot shoes. The company also makes great vegan barefoot running shoes and sneakers combining function with a natural feel.
Great for: vegan barefoot running shoes, sneakers, boots
Vegan Barefoot Running Shoes
We picked out our favorite minimalist running shoes that are tested and approved by experienced barefooters. From Whitin to Xero Shoes, shop these top zero-drop, cruelty-free trainers for the gym and outdoors.
‣ Whitin Barefoot Minimalist Fingers: SHOP WOMEN’S SHOP MEN’S
‣ Xero Shoes Prio: SHOP WOMEN’S SHOP MEN’S
‣ Vibram FiveFingers: SHOP WOMEN’S SHOP MEN’S
‣ Altra Superior 4 Trail Running: SHOP WOMEN’S SHOP MEN’S
‣ Lems Shoes Primal 2: SHOP WOMEN’S SHOP MEN’S
‣ Vivobarefoot Vegan Primus Lite: SHOP WOMEN’S SHOP MEN’S
‣ Merrell Vapor Glove 3 Trail Runner: SHOP WOMEN’S SHOP MEN’S
Vegan Barefoot Boots
If you are looking for vegan barefoot boots or vegan barefoot winter shoes, here are the brands that do it well. These vegan boots are naturally waterproof and durable combining premium vegan fabrics with high-quality engineering.
‣ Vivobarefoot Gobi Hemp Desert Boot
‣ Lems Shoes Vegan Boulder Boot Women’s
‣ Lems Shoes Vegan Boulder Boot Men’s
‣ Leguano Husky Vegan Barefoot Winter Boot
‣ Arcopedico Women’s Barefoot Ankle Boots
‣ Astral Hiyak Minimalist Boots Unisex
‣ Ahinsa Jaya Waterproof Vegan Barefoot Boot
‣ Joe Nimble Globaltoes Vegan Barefoot Walking Boot
‣ Muki Shoes Vegan Barefoot Chelsea Boot
Vegan Barefoot Flats
Every woman needs a pair of vegan barefoot ballet flats, even if just to throw in your purse on a night out. Vegan flats are naturally lightweight and flexible, and zero drop design only adds to the comfort. Here are the best vegan minimalist flats out there.
‣ Leguano Shoes Vegan Barefoot Flats
‣ BeLenka City Flower Barefoot Flats
‣ Arcopedico Lytech Ballet Flats
‣ Oesh Shoes Vegan Barefoot Flats
‣ Joe Nimble Primatoes Barefoot Flats
Vegan Barefoot Dress Shoes
Vegan barefoot dress shoes are not the easiest to find. But luckily there are brands like Ahimsa and Zaqq that offer super stylish dress shoes made with with quality vegan leather and textiles. Enjoy the barefoot comfort in all occasions with these styles.
‣ Ahinsa Vegan Barefoot Dress Shoes
‣ Zaqq Vegan Barefoot Dress Shoes
‣ Groundies Vegan Leather Barefoot Sneakers
‣ Freet Feet Citee Casual Dress Shoes
Vegan Barefoot Sandals
Vegan barefoot sandals fill your summer with exciting adventures both in the nature and in the city. Discover minimalist vegan sandals from Magical Shoes to Earth Runners – nothing extra, just great barefoot designs from animal-friendly materials.
‣ Magical Shoes Vegan Barefoot Sandals (use code TOPVEGAN for 10% off)
‣ Luna Mono Winged Sandals (made in USA)
‣ Xero Shoes Z-Trek Sport Sandal Women’s
‣ Xero Shoes Z-Trek Sport Sandal Men’s
‣ Earth Runners Vegan Barefoot Sandals
‣ Joe Nimble Vegan Barefoot Sandals
Vegan Barefoot Kids’ Shoes
When shopping for kids’ vegan shoes, foot health comes first. Which is why we highly recommend you to try barefoot models from experienced shoemakers like Tikki Shoes, Wildling and others. These are the best kids’ vegan barefoot shoes available in the US.
‣ Tikki Shoes Vegan Collection
‣ Reima Barefoot Shoes Pink (affordable pick)
‣ Reima Barefoot Shoes Navy (affordable pick)
‣ Wildling Barefoot Shoes (use ‘non-animal origin’ filter)
‣ Splay Athletics (vegan cotton canvas shoes)
FAQ About Vegan Barefoot Shoes
Not all of them. Vivobarefoot has a great vegan collection but they also have models that use animal leather and wool. For cruelty-free shoes, see our Vivobarefoot’s vegan collection here.
Vegan barefoot shoes can be made from a variety of fabrics such as mesh, synthetic leather, microfiber as well as cotton and hemp.
The best place to buy vegan barefoot shoes is Amazon. Check out also online stores of individual barefoot brands such as Vivobarefoot, Lem’s Shoes, and Leguano Shoeos.
Yes, absolutely. Research has shown that wearing barefoot shoes is good for your knees, back, and posture, so definitely give them a shot.
Summary
However odd the barefoot trend might have seemed a few years back, the research on its health benefits is today undeniable. Therefore, we are thrilled that there are many amazing brands that offer vegan barefoot shoes, boots, and sneakers for everyone to enjoy.
As the main buzzword in barefoot trend is ‘natural’, we hope barefoot brands will give up the old-fashioned animal leather, and instead focus on plant-based fabrics that are slowly but surely becoming the new natural in the fashion world.
The barefoot market and vegan shoe markets are both growing rapidly. We’ll continuously keep listing new barefoot brands and reviewing their vegan selection, so you can find the best vegan minimalist shoes for yourself.