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I'm the kind of person who tends to buy one pair of shoes and wear them almost all the time until they fall apart. While I'm vegan in most aspects of my life, shoes is one of the things that I've yet to switch, mostly because there are not easily accessible where I live and I don't know the online brands well enough to know where to start looking.

What are some of the more durable/comfortable materials used to make vegan shoes? And how long can I expect them to last if I wear them daily?

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    If you're happy to add your location it might yield some local suggestions as well, if anyone is near you.
    – David S
    Jun 21, 2019 at 8:03
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    In my experience, the heel & outersole wear down to the point that it is uncomfortable to walk long before any part that is normally made of leather would be expected to fall apart.
    – MatthewMartin
    Jun 23, 2019 at 2:02
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    I don't know much about materials. However Dr. Martens (brand) have vegan shoes, that last rather long. Maybe you could check their website for more information (or maybe give them a call).
    – David Lehnherr
    Jun 23, 2019 at 7:06
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    Have a look ad Dogo shoes. They are made from vegan leather and really pretty, though they are surely not as durable as normal leather shoes.
    – Lehue
    Jun 28, 2019 at 12:43

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You can expect good vegan shoes to last as long as non-vegan shoes. Durability does not seem to be determined by the non-vegan components but rather the synthetic ones in both cases. Moreover, much as with non-vegan shoes, the quality of the materials seems to be much more important than the material itself.

That said, keep in mind that faux leather used in some vegan shoes ages worse than real leather. It's more a matter of "when", and that heavily depends on the quality of the material. The top polyurethane layer will eventually crack and peel. Faux suede does not have this issue.

faux leather cracks

If you buy vegan fine dress shoes made of faux leather, it would be wise not to wear them daily but only when you need to. Good quality faux leather can be very durable but it will not develop a patina or luster that leather does.

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  • Is there some way to know if a given boot uses high or low quality faux leather/suede material?
    – Michael Altfield
    Oct 23, 2020 at 22:57
  • @MichaelAltfield I wouldn't know, but I'm affraid it's very difficult, especially online. As with real leather shoes, your best shot is buying from a reputable brand. Try to find reviews or recomendations, etc. Good luck!
    – istepaniuk
    Oct 24, 2020 at 10:56

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