So you are looking for a pair of vegan kicks, but are New Balance shoes vegan?
New Balance has many vegan options, but it’s not specified what models are, and which are not. Some shoes are made of synthetic materials but have non-vegan glue and the official website does not say what models use vegan glue. So it’s not possible to say exactly what New Balance shoes are vegan, but this article has one example.
The key here is to do research on the specific models. Either contact the company directly or read online statements from official sources.
Is New Balance Usually Vegan?
New Balance is often vegan, but the issue is that it’s impossible to know. The website states that some shoes contain non-vegan glue, while others are entirely vegan. Although, it’s not possible to identify vegan from non-vegan.
When you contact New Balance, on their official website, regarding whether or not their shoes are vegan; this message appears.
Many of our models are made with synthetic materials. However, please note that we do use different types of glues depending on what is available. Some glues contain animal products. Although the shoe may be made of synthetic leather it does not mean it will be completely vegan.
Answer from New Balance
This answer clearly says that many of their models are vegan, in terms of both materials and glue. Which is delightful, but there is no indication as to which shoes are. The message goes on to say that you can read a detailed description of their products on the website, but there is definitely nothing about the glue.
Have a look at the product descriptions yourself and see what kind of glue the specific models use. So the answer remains that; many New Balance shoes are vegan, but you don’t know which. Thus, one cannot call New Balance shoes vegan.
Which New Balance Shoes Are Vegan
It’s not always possible to determine which New Balance shoes are vegan. That’s because not all say which glues are used. Some shoes, sneakers, trainers, running shoes, are made of entirely synthetic materials, but non-vegan glue. Not all vegans feel the same way, but most may want to avoid New Balance entirely for this reason.
Luckily, some are known to be vegan because they are marketed as such. It may be that New Balance releases a new eco-friendly lines of shoes and say they are vegan. This is a good example of New Balance shoes that are 100% vegan. After all, a company of that size cannot lie about something vital to so many people.
Thus, the only way to definitely know vegan New Balance, from the non-vegan kind, is to read the official website. Alternatively, read blogs such as this or Peta’s website. These are legitimate places to find vegan kinds, but make sure not to believe everything unless it’s from a trusted source.
Vegan New Balance Shoes
Although it’s unclear if most New Balance shoes are vegan, some are. An example of vegan New Balance shoes are the Fresh Foam. These are identified as entirely vegan according to the organization Peta.
Fresh Foam
The most crucial material here is the glue, and that’s vegan. So what about the other materials? All the other materials are made of 100% synthetic materials, which can be seen on both the official website, and Amazon.
If you go to Amazon you’ll see some bullet points about the shoe, and the first is “100% synthetic”. That makes it entirely vegan in this case, but remember that it’s not definitely true. Some listings may say that they are synthetic, but still use non-vegan glue.
They can do that because it’s not said anywhere what part of the shoe they are talking about. It could be that the top is synthetic, but the sole has non-vegan glue, or even leather. However, this shoe is vegan, as it’s confirmed as such, by Peta.
Non-Vegan Materials In New Balance
I know this article talks a whole lot about glue, but that’s not the only issue when buying shoes. Many shoes use materials such as leather, which comes from an animal. In fact, leather is actually made of animal skin, and often derived in a horrible manner.
Non-Vegan Materials
- Leather
- Glue
Now, leather can be vegan and so can glue, but these are the things you need to look out for. Many shoes use synthetic leather, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s synthetic and so no harm to animals. This means that you should’t just discard anything that says leather. Just double check and see what kind of leather it is, especially if you really like the product.
A commonly used synthetic leather is PU-leather, and there’s no need to avoid this kind.
The glue is more difficult. The material list rarely says what kind of glue it uses, and often the glue is not even mentioned. Maybe because all shoes use glue, so they don’t find it important to mention it. Although, it’s still an issue for vegans.
How To Buy Vegan New Balance
There are a few things you need to consider before buying any kind of shoes. Whether it’s sneakers, trainers, running shoes, dress shoes, do your research. So what do you need to do?
- Avoid any kind of real leather. Synthetic leathers and materials are entirely fine, as they don’t do any harm to animals. This is usually apparent on the box, official website, or Amazon listing.
- Identify if the glue is vegan. All shoes have glue, so don’t even waste your time looking for shoes without glue. Read official statements concerning the model and see if there is anything about the kind of glue.
- Consider if you feel comfortable with your purchase. Not being sure whether or not it’s vegan harms animals and could make you feel guilty. I recommend always buying online, as information is widely available, and you don’t rush your purchase.
This short guide is true for most shoes. The process of buying shoes as a vegan is always the same, whether it’s Nike, Adidas, New Balance, or others.
Have a look at this list of vegan Nike shoes, if you want inspiration. Or view the previously mentioned New Balance shoe on Amazon to get an idea of how it should look.
Conclusion
So there are plenty of vegan New Balance shoes out there. The main issue is to know which kinds are. I have provided an example in this article, but not all the models are. Some may even look entirely vegan, but have some animal-derived glue.
That’s why you need to get in touch with the company yourself. Either read articles on the official website, or contact customer service.
Hey, I’m Gus! I have been vegan for quite some years now, and have collected a lot of knowledge about the subject in this time. My goal with this blog is to spread the vegan message and make it easy to know exactly what’s vegan and what’s not.
