This FM report presents a data driven ranking of the top 10 sustainable footwear brands for 2026, evaluated based on measurable environmental and operational performance throughout the preceding year, 2025. As sustainability shifts from marketing narrative to business requirement, the global sustainable footwear market continues to accelerate, driven by material innovation, carbon accountability, and rising consumer scrutiny.
This ranking highlights brands that demonstrate leadership across responsible materials sourcing, climate impact reduction, ethical manufacturing, and product longevity, translating sustainability commitments into scalable, commercial execution rather than isolated initiatives.
| Rank | Brand | Materials & Inputs | Carbon & Climate Impact | Manufacturing & Labor | Circularity & Durability | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allbirds | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 18 |
| 2 | Veja | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 17 |
| 3 | Nisolo | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 16 |
| 4 | Thousand Fell | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 16 |
| 5 | Rothy’s | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 15 |
| 6 | Cariuma | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 14 |
| 7 | Saola | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
| 8 | Koio (Vegan Line) | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 12 |
| 9 | Merrell (Eco Lines) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 11 |
| 10 | Freedom Moses | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 |
Sustainability Power Ranking: Who’s Actually Building Better Shoes
Sustainability in footwear is no longer about good intentions; it’s about systems. Materials, sourcing, circularity, and accountability now separate brands that signal responsibility from those that have structurally embedded it. The brands below rank not on aesthetics or hype, but on how deeply sustainability is engineered into their product, supply chain, and long-term strategy.
1. Allbirds
At the top of most sustainability conversations, Allbirds has built a business where environmental impact is core, not cosmetic. Its early commitment to natural materials, merino wool, eucalyptus fiber, and sugarcane based foam, set a new baseline for the category. What elevates Allbirds in rankings is transparency: carbon labeling, lifecycle assessments, and a willingness to publish what others obscure. Comfort made them popular; systems thinking keeps them relevant.
2. Veja
Veja earns its ranking through sourcing discipline rather than innovation theatrics. Organic cotton, wild Amazonian rubber, and long term partnerships with cooperatives underpin its production model. Veja’s sustainability story isn’t flashy; it’s consistent. That restraint has allowed the brand to scale without collapsing under its own ethical claims, a rare feat in fashion footwear.
3. Rothy’s
Rothy’s ranks high for material reuse at scale. By transforming recycled water bottles and ocean-bound plastics into durable, washable uppers, the brand has normalized circular materials in everyday footwear. While less vocal about carbon metrics than peers, Rothy’s earns credibility through longevity: shoes designed to last, and be washed repeatedly, reduce replacement cycles, one of fashion’s most overlooked sustainability levers.
4. Cariuma
Cariuma sits in the strong middle tier: credible materials, real environmental commitments, and an accessible price point. Organic cotton, responsibly sourced rubber, and reforestation initiatives form a solid sustainability foundation. Cariuma may not lead in innovation, but it executes responsibly without overreaching, a key reason it maintains trust.
5. Thousand Fell
Where most brands stop at ‘better materials,’ Thousand Fell pushes into true circularity. It’s a 100% recyclable sneaker and take back program that directly addresses the footwear’s waste problem. The brand ranks high conceptually, though its long term position will depend on scale and consumer participation. Still, it represents where sustainability rankings are heading, not just less harm, but closed loops.
6. Saola
Saola earns recognition for material experimentation: recycled bottles, algae based foam, and vegan grape leather. Lightweight and low-impact by design, Saola performs best in niche sustainability metrics rather than mass adoption. Its ranking reflects innovation leadership more than market influence, valuable, but still emerging.
7. Koio (Vegan Line)
Luxury sustainability is a narrow lane, and Koio occupies it carefully through its vegan line. Ethical production and premium sustainable materials elevate Koio above most luxury peers, though sustainability is not yet brand-wide. Its ranking reflects partial integration: strong where applied, limited in scope.
8. Freedom Moses
Freedom Moses proves that sustainability doesn’t need to be precious. Its eco aware slides, often made with recycled materials, prioritize durability and versatility. While not a category leader in innovation, the brand scores well on accessible sustainability: simple products, fewer resources, longer wear.
9. Merrell (Eco Range)
As a legacy outdoor brand, Merrell ranks for integration rather than disruption. Its eco focused lines incorporate recycled materials and responsible manufacturing into performance footwear. While sustainability isn’t universal across the portfolio, Merrell’s scale gives these efforts meaningful environmental weight.
10. EKN Footwear / Nisolo / TOMS
Brands like Nisolo and TOMS round out sustainability rankings through ethics first models: fair labor, responsible sourcing, and social accountability. While their material innovation varies, their strength lies in governance, proof that sustainability is as much about people as products.
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