Vegan And Sustainable Insoles For Shoes
Our feet do a whole lot of things, yet most of us often take them for granted. Since they’re the workhorses of our body, it’s very normal for them to get tired once in a while. That said, for you to relieve your feet of pains and provide them with the comfort that matters, one of the things that you can do is to wear sustainable insoles with your shoes.
If you don’t know, insoles offer a host of health benefits for our feet. One of them is that they help us treat existing foot disorders, including pain and discomfort. Besides that, insoles are effective for preventing foot conditions from developing. Furthermore, they also help reduce the often experienced wear and tear of our shoes, making them last longer.
As a vegan, are you wondering whether or not there are suitable sustainable insoles for shoes to protect your feet? If yea, you might have to stop worrying too much about it, as I’ll provide relevant answers to the question and many more in this post.
Topics included in this article
Are insoles vegan-friendly?
For shoe insoles to be vegan-friendly, the products have to be free from animal ingredients and animal-derived ingredients. That’s not all; it also means that the shoe insoles are free from animal testing. That said, to the burning question – “are insoles vegan-friendly?” – the answer to the question is yes.
While there are vegan-friendly shoe insoles, it’s worth knowing that most products out there are not made of natural materials, such as polyurethane leather. However, you need not worry too much about that, as many shoe brands specialize in manufacturing 100% vegan-friendly shoe insoles.
What materials are vegan insoles made of?
To start with, you need to understand that there are several different materials that shoe brands use to build insoles. However, the four most commonly used items include foam, gel, cork, and leather. Speaking of foam materials, they are the most widely used for shoe insoles and work best for supporting our feet, providing them with pressure relief and cushioning.
On the other hand, most people make use of gel materials so they can deliver the insoles with shock absorption capability. Furthermore, some shoe brands use leather materials for their insoles to provide the feet with cushion and comfort. Lastly, the cork materials help most brands to deliver support and a little bit of cushion necessary to protect the feet.
As far as vegan-friendly materials for shoe insoles are concerned, they include several different all-natural products, as well as leathers. Let’s have a quick look at some of them below.
1- Polyurethane leather
One of the widely used vegan-friendly materials for shoe insoles is polyurethane leather. Furthermore, this type of shoe insoles product is often made from polyurethane – a polymer produced from several innovative and sustainable materials. Most brands use this product because of its great features, such as being very resilient. Apart from that, polyurethane leather materials are also excellent absorbent, hard-wearing, and are capable of handling weights.
2- Cotton
Another vegan-friendly material used for shoe insoles is cotton. Speaking of the product, it offers a host of unique features, including being soft, comfortable, and breathable.
Other types of vegan-friendly materials used for shoe insoles include sisal fiber, hemp, linen, Jute, bamboo fiber, and fleece. As far as Jute products are concerned, they are 100% natural, breathable, and environmentally friendly. Speaking of fleece insoles, they are best during the winter seasons for warm feet.
Where can I find vegan-friendly insoles?
As earlier mentioned, there are many brands out there that specialize in manufacturing vegan-friendly insoles. You can either shop online and order the products on Amazon or directly from the manufacturers’ website or visit the nearest store close to you. That said, let’s have a quick look at some of the brands below.
1- Vegan-Life
In case you’re interested in getting vegan-friendly shoe insoles, Vegan-Life offers some of the best products.
You can check the company’s website for more information regarding the materials used to manufacture the insoles and how you can order them.
2- Pedag
Another brand that specializes in manufacturing vegan-friendly shoe insoles is pedag. The brand offers varieties of insoles, pedag Deo Fresh (from cotton and sisal fibers), pedag Bamboo Deo (from bamboo fibers), pedag Viva Summer (from sisal fibers and cotton), pedag Viva Sneaker, and a few others.
You can check here to read more about the products and how you can order them.
3- Vegetarian Shoes
Another brand that specializes in manufacturing and selling vegan-friendly shoe insoles is Vegetarian Shoes. The company offers several different products, such as Waffle insoles, which are “extremely lightweight” and come with a durable 5mm thick shock-absorbing Waffle design. That’s not all; the brand designed the product using moisture-absorbing ‘Cambrelle’ fabric.
You can check here for more information regarding the products’ prices and how you can make an order quickly.
Are insoles recyclable?
In case you don’t know, most shoe insoles are made from biodegradable and recyclable materials. With that, it means you can always recycle your insoles when they’re no longer in use. For instance, polyurethane leather shoe insoles are manually recyclable. That’s so because they are made from pineapple leaf wastes, which are highly recyclable.
How to dispose of your old insoles
Just like your worn-out or old shoes, you can also dispose of your old insoles in several different ways. Here are a few simple ways to do that below:
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Recycling center
One of the few ways to safely dispose of your old shoe insoles is to tie them together and take them to any local recycling center near you.
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Recycle bin
Apart from taking them directly to the recycling center for reuse, another easy way to dispose of the insoles is by putting them inside your recyclable bin for recycling officers to pick up.
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Donate to your community
Another great way to safely dispose of your old shoe insoles is by donating them to your community or a charity firm. With that, they can always sell the insoles to the appropriate channel and make money.
Do I Really Need Shoe Insoles?
Regardless of who you are, so far you wear shoes, you certainly need insoles. As earlier mentioned, one of the primary purposes of using an insole is to provide comfort to your feet. That said, let’s have a look at some other benefits attached to using shoe insoles below.
What do insoles do?
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Healing existing feet disorders
Foot disorders caused by shoes include discomfort and pains, such as Plantar Fasciitis, knee pain, toe pain, and Achilles pain. If you’re already experiencing any of these foot disorders, one way to treat them is by using good shoe insoles. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that there are several different insoles that you can buy to treat any foot disorders. However, ensure you do thorough research or consult a doctor before using any product.
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Prevent foot disorders
As earlier mentioned, another benefit attached to using shoe insoles is that it helps to prevent foot disorders from developing. That said, if you’re not experiencing any shoe disorder, you’re likely using some of the best insoles out there. That’s so because most of these shoe products help absorb foot pressure, which can cause all sorts of disorders.
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Reduces wear and tears
Another benefit of using shoe insoles is that it reduces wear and tear that most shoes often suffer. With that, it means by using the best insoles, you can rest assured that your shoes will last longer than before.
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Comfortability
In case you don’t know, shoe insoles offer a lot of comfortability to your feet. That’s possible, all thanks to most materials used to manufacture the insoles, such as foam materials – they help by providing cushioning and pressure relief. Another good example is the gel insole products that offer shock absorption capability.
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Additional warmth
Shoe insoles are also effective in providing the feet with the necessary warmth. For instance, during the winter season, opting for fleece insoles can be one of the best ideas to keep your feet warm.
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Better fit
You’ll surely agree that your standard shoe size can sometimes turn out to be undersized after getting new shoes. This happens to me a lot, especially when I shop online for my footwear, so I always go for a slightly bigger shoe size. In case you also experience this issue, the best way to address it is by ordering for a bigger size (for instance, go for size 44 instead of the regular 42). On getting the shoe, you can always apply insoles to balance the size and make it fit into your feet.
How to use my new shoe insoles
The best way to use your insoles is by inserting them in your shoes every time you’re planning to go out. As earlier mentioned, you can also use them to keep your footwear fit or in the winter to keep your feet warm
Do I have to take the old insoles out?
If your shoes are a bit too big you should leave your old insole in and place the new one on top. If your old insole are worn out take it out and replace it with your new insoles.
When not in use, below are a couple of ways to care for your insoles.
- Remove the insoles from your shoes and keep them where they can breathe properly.
- Furthermore, washing the insoles with water and a mild soap is another effective way to care for them. After washing, ensure you dry them properly before using them.
