What vegan belts and shoes are durable?

March 2, 2020 6:13 AM

What vegan belts and shoes are durable? I am especially interested in men's items that are fashionable. There are many belts and shoes constructed from man-made materials, but they often fall apart after a short period of time compared to items made from leather.
posted by mortaddams to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (10 answers total)

Best answer: I don't know about belts, but for shoes - vegan Doc Martens are as good as the leather kind, and while they were out of production I bought Vegetarian Shoes, which are basically a Doc Martens knock off. I still have them and they are doing fine.
posted by bile and syntax at 6:19 AM on March 2, 2020

Best answer: Alchemy Goods makes some great upcycled bicycle-innertube belts. Very durable.
posted by umber vowel at 7:48 AM on March 2, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I own many Matt and Nat bags and one pair of Matt and Nat (women's) shoes. I have been very happy with the durability. I don't believe they offer men's styling in their belts, however.
posted by crush at 8:04 AM on March 2, 2020

Best answer: Are you specifically interested in items that simulate leather? If not, webbing belts are 100% as durable as leather, and in some cases more so. I don't have a specific recommendation, but the major choices are nylon vs cotton (nylon is more durable, cotton is biodegradable and plant-based if that's what you're after) and buckle type. Virtually every military/tactical and outdoor outfitter brand sells one or more style. They do lean toward the casual end of the spectrum (I can't imagine many that would be acceptable with a suit, possibly excepting poplin or linen suits in the summer) but they can absolutely be fashionable.
posted by pullayup at 8:49 AM on March 2, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Ditto bile and syntax on the Docs. They look and wear like real leather. The only place they suffer is that they don't breathe much (wear wool socks and you're fine). Not sure if they are (or have ever been) fashionable unless you are in the subset of people who pretty much only wear Docs.
posted by quarterframer at 8:55 AM on March 2, 2020

Best answer: For shoes, the best I've found to date are from Will's. They have a line of styles called Goodyear Welt that are built using a tougher, slower process than most modern shoe companies use. Honestly, my daily work shoes are from Will's and *aren't* from the G.W. line and they're still going strong after four or maybe five years.

I have a Matt and Nat briefcase/bag and wallet that have both held up really well over the last ~5 years.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 9:25 AM on March 2, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Belts made of Biothane, a coated webbing, are extremely durable and usually used for horses.

They can also be too thick and stiff to act like a normal belt, so alternative designs that don't require the belt to be folded and wrenched around are recommended. The market isn't very large so they usually just come in black.

I've been using this one for over a decade now, it looks very close to new. It's discontinued but there are various copies, as well as traditional designs.
posted by meowzilla at 10:17 AM on March 2, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Seconding the Vegetarian Shoes boots as a good option. I have a pair of fashion hikers (i.e. they're styled like hiking boots but not meant for hiking) that I wear 3 - 5 times a week in the winter (walking at least 3 miles/day outside) and they still look great after 3 years. I'll need to resole them after this winter, but fully expect to get at least another 2-3 years out of them.

For bags and belts, von holzhauzen is great and durable, with a lifetime warranty (but very expensive).
posted by snaw at 10:35 AM on March 2, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I'm not vegan, but I replaced my leather belt with a stretch belt such as this.
posted by mbarryf at 4:23 AM on March 3, 2020

Response by poster: Hi again. As a follow-up, what options are also the most comfortable? Some of these products sound stiff, so does that make them less pleasant to wear?
posted by mortaddams at 6:27 AM on March 3, 2020