Sustainable Shoes, Ethical Fashion: Po-Zu Review *

Are your shoes sustainable?  Many of us are switching to organic clothing and natural beauty, but what we wear on our feet is just as important!  And guess what -whether you're looking for eco friendly trainers, vegan boots, or ethical flats, Po-Zu has got you covered!


red Star Wars shoes and mint green shoes with white laces

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* This post contains some affiliate links
No matter how I have received a product, whether it has been purchased with my own money, gifted by a brand, been subsidized by a brand, won, gifted by friends/family, or purchased with a gift voucher, my approach is always the same -- honesty, integrity, and highlighting both the good and the bad.  You can find more information on Disclosures and Privacy here.


Let's be real - secondhand is one of the more sustainable ways of picking up "new" clothes and accessories, but for shoes it can be especially tricky to find your size let alone the style you are looking for.  So when thrifting is not an option, what is the next best thing when it comes to sustainability?

Natural materials like cotton, recycled shoe tires, coconut, and jute.  Careful designs that are meant to last.  Ethical and eco conscious brands who are fighting to make a difference in the fashion industry.  By shopping smart and investing in well made, responsibly sourced, and consciously crafted fashion, you can minimize the impact on the environment!  And that's where Po-Zu comes in.


five pairs of Po-Zu shoes sitting in crisp white snow
No, I will not clean off my well worn shoes just for a photo - the dirt shows how much love they get!


The Brand: Po-Zu

Founded by Sven Segal in 2006, Po-Zu is a sustainable fashion business dedicated to creating ethical footwear that is "healthy for your feet, kind to the environment and safe for all our workers throughout the supply chain."  Each pair is handmade by master shoemakers in Portugal and Sri Lanka who pride themselves on craftmanship and quality, and you can even watch how each type is created thanks to the transparency of Po-Zu!

Stemming from the Japanese characters meaning pause, the brand embraces their name in every aspect of production.  They do not launch new lines every few weeks, instead choosing to slow the pace of consumption.  Po-Zu is serious about making a difference, and is continuously looking to improve their impact - I mean, they've set up The Better Shoes Foundation to share and promote sustainable methods, gained certification from the Ethical Company Organisation and Fair Rubber Association to guarantee accountability, and pledge 10% of net profits to charities each year.

Along with all of the amazing efforts being made, Po-Zu also promotes a return to tradition with high quality and long lasting shoes, but with a stylish modern twist - I mean, they had a whole Star Wars line which is just SO cool!  This is a brand that wants to make ethical shoes fashionable as well as kind to the planet, workers, and your feet.


black and gold ballet flats paired with earthy pattern leggings and a striped red and orange carpet


Ethical and Sustainable Shoes: Po-Zu Review

I've said it once, I'll say it again - Po-Zu is my go to for ethical and sustainable footwear!  Their conscious collection is the epitome of comfort, style, and function, and I can't fault their prices either.  While many unsustainable trainers on the high street run upwards of £100, this planet-friendly range keeps things accessible while also offering great quality and eco-minded materials.  As someone who doesn't usually have a lot of money spare, I appreciate that this ethical fashion brand runs sales so I can pick up pieces that will end up saving me in the long run (because yes, Terry Pratchett had it right when he wrote about the boots' theory of socioeconomic unfairness).  But honestly, even when these are at full price I think they're pretty affordable compared to mainstream lines.

Po-Zu has always had a wide selection of vegan friendly options, but recently they made the decision to become 100% vegan.  That means their full men's and women's line are free from animal products (no leather, no wool, no dodgy glue!) so you can shop without any worries or double checking materials.  Not only are Po-Zu committing to the welfare of animals, they take it one step further and promise to only use sustainably produced alternatives.

Did you know that most vegan shoes on the market are made of plastic?  Not only that, but many of these pieces are not made to last - we all know what it's like to skimp on quality to save money (seriously, when you're broke I totally get it!) and then a few weeks or months later you feel rain coming through a hole or see flakes of faux-suede peeling away.  But have you stopped to think about what happens after you bin your broken or battered shoes?  With luck they end up in landfill where they will outlive you as they slowly break down into tiny pieces of microplastic, and worse case scenario they go straight to polluting the rivers, oceans, or soil.

That's why Po-Zu opts for eco friendly materials!  The shoes are totally guilt free thanks to their use of materials like Piñatex™ (vegan leather made from pineapple), natural latex foam, linen, apple skin, coconut fibre, fair trade rubber, and more.  It's important to note that they do use one synthetic as a sturdy substitute for leather, but I appreciate that the brand acknowledges this is not a good long-term alternative - they are very upfront about how this does have an impact on the environment, and I am honestly really excited to see what innovations they make to replace it in future.

mint green shoes with white laces and the bottom of a flowy blue dress

As for the present, Po-Zu offers so much and is the best ethical and sustainable shoe company I have come across so far.  Plus, with a collection of officially licensed Star Wars designs I couldn't help but be hooked!  Whether you're a casual fan or a hardcore cosplayer, you're sure to be wowed by the details and will love the mix of bold statement pieces and understated options.  Sadly the collaboration seems to have recently come to an end, but I have my fingers crossed we will see even more Star Wars shoes in future!  And who knows, maybe there will be other geek approved gear too - a girl can dream!

I have purchased both trainers and flats from Po-Zu, and I can't rate them enough.  These are long lasting pieces that are made well, fit great (true to size in my experience!), are super cute, and are so fun to style.  I can dress up or down, and since they offer both bright vivid colours and muted neutral tones I have a pair to match literally everything I might pull out of my wardrobe.  I don't wear anything else at this point when it comes to closed toe shoes - it's all Po-Zu!

And if the ethical shoes aren't enough to get you excited, Po-Zu have also expanded their collection to offer triple layer face masks and organic cotton face masks!  Now when you're walking out and about with your sustainable kicks you are also able to protect yourself and others.  They have two packs to choose from, one which is a basic black and white material and the other offering a bit more colour with five striped patterns.  Both look fab, and are pretty good value too!



My Favourite Po-Zu Shoes

While many of my favourites are no longer available to buy as I got them several years ago, a few are still for sale since Po-Zu doesn't believe in shifting styles after every season.  The only designs that are a bit faster to disappear are the Star Wars designs as they seemed to try to match up with the film releases.  If the collection makes a comeback and you see something you like from this special line, do be sure to get them before they are gone.  Seriously, I am still gutted I didn't manage to get the Porgs - I would LOVE them!!

I have five pairs of shoes from Po-Zu right now - flats, two low rise trainers, one high top, and one converse style.  All are brilliant, though I think my most worn are the Butterfly Grey and black and gold Ello flats.  However, my most recent pairs, the Moth Mint and the X-Wing Red are quickly giving these a run for their money as I am just so taken by their cheerful colours.

What are YOUR favourite Po-Zu kicks?  I would love to know! xx


grey vegan sneakers kicked up next to houseplants


3 comments

  1. My fella got a pair of the Star Wars Po-Zu sneakers years ago and they really are great. They have lasted well and are still as comfy as when he first got them. They really are a great brand x

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    Replies
    1. Oooh which ones did they get?? I really hope they bring back the Star Wars line as I loved it! Plus the shoes all last soo long x

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  2. They all look incredibly cozy; I’d definitely give them a go!

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