So many cute baby shoes out there! After reading about how some heavy metals could be found in shoes, like lead and chromium, as well as toxic chemicals in waterproofing, I searched for companies that clearly state that they are conscious of making their shoes non-toxic and out of the highest quality materials. Here are a few that I found and love:
Bisgaard Shoes ($$)
Bisgaard makes classic, high quality sneakers, boots, and sandals that are eco-friendly and use vegetable-tanned, chrome-free leather, natural materials like rubber, wool, cotton, and their waterproofing is PFC free. Their shoes are designed in Denmark and made in Portugal. I bought my daughter the green sandals pictured here, which are beautiful. They are priced on par with their quality.
Petit Nord ($$$)
I am endeared to Petit Nord not only because of their beautifully hand-crafted, romantic shoes that use high quality natural materials, but also because of their commitment to producing shoes that are safe for children and safe for the environment. Petit Nord’s kids shoes are made of 100% vegetable tanned leather that is 100% chrome-free and 100 % biodegradable. They also apply waterproofing that is free of two chemicals; PTFE & PFC. I have bought a pair of sandals from them for my daughter that are gorgeous, though we have not yet used them. You do pay for the quality. Their shoes are hand-made in Portugal.
Kavat ($$)
Kavat is a Swedish company that offers practical, well-made sneakers, boots, and sandals. I really like the fact that they are both environmentally conscious and also very transparent about the different materials they use in their shoes. For example, many of their shoes are: made of environmentally friendly and chrome-free Eco Performance (EP) leather, certified with EU eco-label and guaranteed free of fluorocarbons, and/or lined with vegetable-tanned leather. Their shoes are made in Bosnia. I bought my daughter the pink sneakers pictured here, which are chrome free and made from “conscious cotton”. We have used these all summer and she loves them. They also have great winter boots.
Donjse ($$$)
A Dutch company that makes adorable shoes and clothing, and their products comply with the EU’s REACH program, which is in place to reduce the amount of harmful chemicals in products produced in the EU.
Kimi and Kai ($)
Their adorable shoes, which are for early walkers, are tested to be free of toxic substances and are also approved by the PDMA. I bought my daughter a pair of those pictured here; they also have cute shoes with animal faces on them.
Clamfeet ($)
Their cute little moccasins are for babies who are just starting to walk. The shoes are washable and have an organic lining, and they have a wide array of cute patterns to choose from. They are made in Los Angeles.
Wheat ($$)
Wheat is a Danish company offering eco-conscious apparel and footwear. Their boots are
Angulus
Ricosta
Priming