Vegan Alternatives to UGGs

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UGGs are having a major moment with everyone from Kendall Jenner to Joan Smalls rocking the cozy footwear. But while the OG UGG boots are made from a combination of animal-based materials, there are plenty of vegan alternatives that will give you all of the comfort of a pair of sheepskin boots without harming animals.

While UGG has taken a few steps towards sustainability, the brand still has a long way to go. The company does make some efforts to reduce waste, including making the majority of its footwear out of repurposed wool, but it still doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to paying workers fair wages and following other important labor standards.

There’s also the fact that UGGs are not exactly eco-friendly to begin with, as they use a lot of petroleum to make their outer shells. Thankfully, there are companies out there that are working hard to create vegan UGGs (or at least UGG-inspired shoes) that will save the planet and your feet at the same time.

One of our favorite options is PAWJ, which makes a variety of UGG-inspired boots that are 100-percent vegan and free from any kind of cruelty. The brand’s founder Julee Merrill says that she started the label to create more styles of shoes that didn’t hurt animals. Their animal-friendly boots are available in a variety of colors and come in all of the classic UGG styles, like these Tan mini boots, as well as a number of other types of cold weather boots that will keep you cozy for any season.