I’m all about buying repairable shoes. Having a small shoe collection full of repairable footwear you wear on a daily basis is much more economical and sustainable. Here are the best repairable shoes on the market.
Currently, in the United States, there are 7,000 shoe repair shops that serve 300 million people – that’s more than 600 million shoes. Today, cobblers spend their workdays repairing, restoring, and improving shoes, boots, sandals, clogs, moccasins, loafers, and stilettos.
All repairable shoes share one trait: They’re typically made out of leather (or even some vegan leather alternatives). This is because leather is a durable and sturdy material that is resistant to breaking down and much more receptive to repairs when they do.
Yes, shoes can be reheeled. A cobbler can help with this. If you break a heel while walking or dancing, save the shoe and take it to your local cobbler for repair. It’ll cost less than buying a whole new pair of heels.
Yes, it is because resoling is a cost-effective way to prolong the life of high quality shoes and boots. Not only does this save you money (resoling usually costs less than buying a whole new pair of shoes), but it also keeps items out of the landfill.
All the brands on my list utilize different sustainable strategies to ensure their materials are sustainable, but also repairable. There are several brands that also offer take-back programs, which help close the loop and ensure your shoes get recycled at the end of their life.
1. Allbirds 2. Nisolo 3. Able 4. Rothy's 5. Vivobarefoot 6. Goral 7. Vyn 8. Sezane