The best American-made footwear companies use natural, recycled, and cruelty-free materials to create comfortable, affordable, and sustainable shoes locally to help you look stylish with a clean conscience.
If you are interested in footwear made in the USA to encourage a local, circular economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, choose ethically made and versatile shoes that protect the environment and American workers.
Thankfully, many American footwear brands and retailers offer inexpensive and eco-friendly clothes ethically made in the USA to help you dress well and sustainably when you want to support local artisans and businesses.
I've done a lot of research and hard work for you so that you can buy from any of the below American-made footwear companies, knowing that they make affordable shoes under high social and environmental standards.
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1. RAFA
Category: Shoes, boots, sandals, mules
For: Women
From: Los Angeles, California, United States
Values: Natural, vegan, recycled, luxury
Prices: $220-$300
RAFA is a women's luxury footwear collection handcrafted by a group of 20 artisans in Los Angeles. It's committed to using the best quality materials to create accessible luxury footwear.
RAFA makes all of its products with environmentally friendly materials and sustainable processes. The sustainable footwear brand uses mostly vegan recycled textiles to create luxury boots, sandals, and mules.
SHOP RAFA
2. Mohop
Category: Heels, shoes, sandals, mules, accessories
For: Women
From: Rockford, Illinois, United States
Values: Natural, vegan, local, artisan craft, made in the USA
Prices: $240-$270
Mohop is an American vegan and ethical shoe company that creates heels, sandals, handbags, fashion, and pet accessories using vegan and eco-friendly materials in the USA.
Mohop was founded in 2005 by architect Annie Mohaupt to combine her passion for sustainability and desire for comfortable and supportive footwear.
Mohop doesn't use plastic-coated fake leathers such as vinyl, PVC, and polyurethane. Instead, it uses nylon to create durable, comfortable, and delightful products that do better for people, animals, and the environment.
SHOP MOHOP
3. Okabashi
Category: Shoes, sandals, flats, flip flops, accessories
For: Women, men
From: Buford, Georgia, United States
Values: Recycled, vegan, made in the USA
Prices: $20-$30
Okabashi is an American footwear company that creates affordable, vegan, and 100% recyclable shoes for women and men with soft, flexible materials for ultimate comfort and breathability.
Okabashi sustainably makes shoes in the USA since 1984. It offers ballet flats, sandals, and flip flops that support a healthy and active lifestyle with arch support, massage beads, and a two-year guarantee.
Okabashi has been focused on sustainability for decades using a closed-loop manufacturing process and a circular model that are better for the environment. It uses bio-based and recycled materials to create new shoes.
SHOP OKABASHI
4. Chaco
Category: Shoes, sandals, flats, flip flops, slides, boots, accessories
For: Women, men, children
From: Richmond, Virginia, United States
Values: Recycled, vegan, made in the USA, give back
Prices: $50-$130
Chaco is an American-made footwear company that creates versatile, durable, vegan shoes for outdoor adventures. It sells iconic, performance-ready sandals for the whole family.
Chaco designs repairable, sustainable sandals and produces them in a Michigan-based factory. Its repair team can change outsoles, replace straps and buckles, adjust the length of straps, and consult on cleaning and care.
Chaco also partners with other outdoor-minded organizations and individuals to push for environmental conservation and promote inclusion and diversity in the outdoors.
SHOP CHACO
5. Psudo
Category: Shoes, sneakers
For: Women, men
From: St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Values: Recycled, made in the USA
Prices: $120-$130
Psudo is an American-made footwear company that creates eco-friendly sneakers with recycled plastic bottles. It offers made in USA, comfortable, colorful shoes for women and men.
Psudo is a self-funded, independent footwear company dedicated to eco-friendliness, ethical labor, and staying local. It only sources American materials and employs locals to build a community around being grateful and giving back.
SHOP PSUDO
6. Oka-B
Category: Shoes, sandals, flats, flip flops, wedges, accessories
For: Women
From: Buford, Georgia, United States
Values: Recycled, vegan, made in the USA
Prices: $20-$40
Oka-B is an American shoe brand that makes affordable, durable, vegan sandals and flats in the USA with a designer look. It offers stylish, comfortable, and unique shoes for the modern woman.
Oka-B began as a spa sandal for ultimate comfort with principles of reflexology and ergonomics. It now makes beautiful shoe collections with dozens of styles and colors.
Oka-B creates unique footwear products with arch support, slip resistance, non-marking, and easy cleaning. It uses vegan, bio-based, and recycled materials to create built-to-last shoes that can be enjoyed season after season.
SHOP OKA B
7. Gurkee's
Category: Shoes, sandals, accessories
For: Women, men, children
From: Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
Values: Recycled, vegan, made in the USA
Prices: $40-$60
Gurkee's is an American-made shoe brand that makes rope sandals in the USA with eco-friendly, vegan materials. It creates beautiful and comfortable footwear collections with soft textured carpet yarn.
Gurkee's handcrafts fashionable sandals and rope products with a superior, durable, high quality. All its shoes are handmade in a state-of-the-art facility in Morgantown by local artisans.
Gurkee's rope sandals are made of soft polypropylene carpet yarn from South Eastern USA. They are available in a multitude of color combinations, blends, twists, and colors.
SHOP GURKEE'S
8. Earth Runners
Category: Shoes, sandals, accessories
For: Women, men, children
From: Windsor, California, United States
Values: Organic, vegan, made in the USA, give back
Prices: $60-$80
Earth Runners is an American-made footwear brand that creates minimalist, vegan, and Earth-friendly sandals for women, men, and kids. All its products are handcrafted in the USA.
Earth Runners helps you reconnect your feet with nature and reestablish healthy physical and biological functions. It offers thin and flexible adventure sandals for maximum comfort in casual everyday life.
Earth Runners also donates 1% of all sales to True Messages, a non-profit organization that runs projects focused on honoring the Raramuri peoples and the children of the Sierra Tarahumara.
SHOP EARTH RUNNERS
9. Etsy
Category: Shoes, sneakers, flats, sandals, heels, boots, accessories
For: Women, men, children
From: California, United States
Values: Natural, vintage, independent sellers
Prices: $10-$30
Etsy is an e-commerce website focused on hand-made or vintage fashion items, homeware, and craft supplies. It offers a wide range of beautiful, ethical, and cheap shoes made in the USA.
Many independents sellers list comfy, eco-friendly, American-made footwear on Etsy. The marketplace is very active and widely recognized as the most trusted vintage store.
SHOP ETSY
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About the Author: Alex Assoune
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