Trust Me—I'm an Editor: The Best 3 Places to Shop for Vegan Leather Boots

As fashion editors, unsurprisingly, we're the go-to sources of information for our friends and family when it comes to anything style-related. Whether it's a dress for a big date or simply the perfect white tee, we've addressed every question you could imagine. This inspired us to create a new series—Trust Me, I'm an Editor—that allows you, the reader, to get in on the action. What sartorial dilemmas are you facing right now? What problem can we apply our extensive shopping knowledge to? You can shoot us questions via Instagram or our Facebook shopping group, So... Should I Buy This? Use us—you know you want to.

When looking for a question to answer for this week's instalment of Trust Me, I'm an Editor, I wanted to pick a topic that we haven't covered before on Who What Wear. Believe me that's not an easy challenge, however, I found one: Where is the best place to buy vegan leather boots? Over the past year, the word "vegan" has been used by Brits almost as frequently as the word "Brexit," and this veganism trend has reached the fashion industry just as much as our local supermarkets. Faux leather has had a rebrand of sorts and now in many cases goes by the name vegan leather, in an attempt to move away from its former low-quality reputation. 

If you are wondering what vegan leather actually is, then you might want to read my piece on the designers who are using it and why faux leathers are now more desirable first. It's worth noting that vegan leather might be an ethical alternative to animal skins, but it still has a ways to go in order to be a completely green alternative. As with many popular fabrics, whether natural or synthetic, it does have an environmental impact.

When it comes to vegan leather boots, there are three brands that I think really stand out here and won't let you down. Keep scrolling to see and shop the best vegan leather boots.

1. Dr Martens

Dr Martens is one of the best brands for vegan leather boots, as many of its iconic silhouettes such as the 1460 and 2976 also come in a vegan alternative. One of the Who What Wear editors owns a pair and says they are softer and easier to break in than the classic boots. 

2. Nanushka

Budapest-based label Nanushka uses vegan leather across its entire range, including boots. Vegan leather is in many cases an ethical alternative to leather, but not a sustainable one—as it is made from plastic. Nanushka is working hard to tackle sustainability within production and create vegan leather that is less harmful to the environment.

Sandra Sandor, founder and creative director of Nanushka, explained to Who What Wear: "The vegan leather we use isn't buttery soft, but it's also sustainable because it completely cuts out the most toxic part: the tanning process. I find it important that we make our clothes long-lasting and find new methods to reuse them."

3. Free People

Free People has the broadest selection of vegan boots I could find, from red cowboy boots to chunky walking boots to classic black ankle boots, making it the best place to start your search.

Next up, see our guide to the best winter boots.