GRENSON: FINALLY VEGAN FOOTWEAR YOU WILL ACTUALLY WANT TO WEAR . .

British shoe maker Grenson have always had an intuitive sense of what men want from their footwear and by listening to what their customers respond to, the Northamptonshire based business has built up an enviable collection of styles.

Speaking with the brands Owner and Creative Director Tim Little, at the end of last year as they unveiled their lastest offering, I commented on a small section of boots and sneakers labeled ‘Vegan’. I had insinuated that they looked too good to be totally Vegan. Tim went onto explain the creation of the new Vegan range was a reaction to a significant number of customers wanting a leather free alternative. The problem was a good Vegan footwear is hard to find and so Tim and the Grenson team set out on a mission to create desirable footwear that was Vegan, but not noticeable different from their existing and popular styles.

Two years of research and development later Grenson created a small collection of their best selling styles using Vegan friendly materials. The results are pretty impressive, given the quality and design details the team has managed to produce, with the upper material being made from micro fibres that effectively mimic natural cowhide. Whatsmore, its not just the obvious benefits of Vegan leather, its also has the ability to be recycled, its breathable, anti-bacterial, washable, is very lightweight and highly resistant to many substances. Even the lining is made from a similar micro fibre material with all the benefits including breathability, except that its also highly absorbent, carrying up to 8 times its own weight in water. Surely the perfect solution to lining of any shoes?

The Grenson team has worked hard at getting their first Vegan footwear right and wasn’t prepared to compromise on their final execution, down to sourcing a Microlight rubber for the welts, which is currently the only non-leather material available for this purpose. If you had a certain vision on what Vegan footwear might look like (I know I did, and it wasn’t pretty) then think again and dip your toe into your first Vegan purchase.

https://www.grenson.com/uk/grenson-collections/vegan-shoes-and-boots.html