If you're thinking this means wrapping up your feet in stylish seitan or trendy tempeh, let us stop you right there (as curious as we might be to see what exactly that would look like). Vegan leather shoes are made from durable, leather-like materials that simply don't come from animal skin. According to PETA , the most common textile used to accomplish this is polyurethane, but designers have even been experimenting with innovative materials such as fruit waste and recycled plastics. While these alternatives are certainly not without their own environmental concerns, they avoid the greenhouse gas emissions associated with animal agriculture along with the use of energy and water consumption by tanneries, allowing for brands to reduce their overall impact on the planet when they stay away from leather altogether.