NOAH is a Fully Vegan Brand

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NOAH Brand Overview

Founded in 2009, NOAH uses a variety of natural, organic, synthetic and recycled materials to make PETA-approved vegan footwear in a wide array of styles. They're based in Esselbach, Germany, and make their shoes with fair labour in Italy.

About NOAH Vegan Shoes

"Our idea was to create exclusive Italian handcrafted footwear combining quality and style while respecting the environment, the animals and the human health." - NOAH team

Are NOAH shoes waterproof?

Although most of their vegan leather and vegan suede models are water-repellent or water-resistant, most are not fully waterproof. They do however, have fabric-lined PVC rain boots that are waterproof.

Is NOAH an ethically vegan brand?

NOAH is an intentionally and ethically vegan brand, rather than one that uses vegan materials out of convenience, or for other reasons. According to the brand, they aim to "produce high-quality shoes in a modern Italian style while at the same time respecting the environment, animals and human health in a responsible manner."

What materials are used to make NOAH shoes?

NOAH uses a variety of natural, synthetic, recycled and organic materials to make their footwear, including:
Microfibre (micronappa, microsuede) - for the uppers and insoles
Organic linen - uppers of their summer shoes
Organic cotton -uppers of their organic shoes
Natural rubber (coal dyed) - outsoles of their organic line
Synthetic & recycled rubber - outsoles of most models
Bamboo & cedar wood - soles of their clogs
Cork - insoles of some of the athletic footwear styles
Adhesives - only water-based adhesives with no animal ingredients are used
Natural latex - padding in the organic line
PVC - outers for rain boots
You can find out more about the materials NOAH uses by visiting their Materials page.

Are NOAH shoes eco-friendly/sustainable?

From an environmentally-friendly materials standpoint, many of NOAH's shoes, boots & sandals are at least somewhat eco-friendly, as they do incorporate many natural and/or recycled materials into their designs. NOAH also has a line of biodegradable shoes that are made of organic materials. NOAH does not currently use any tools or programs that can quantify and share the eco-friendliness of their products, other than sharing vague breakdowns of the materials used in each shoe. And while the virgin man-made synthetics they use in other models are generally considered worse for the environment than recycled synthetics, or natural materials, those virgin synthetic materials are still considered to be more environmentally friendly than animal-derived leathers. This is backed up by data from inside the fashion industry as well as outside of it. For the data, please see Collective Fashion Justice’s CIRCUMFAUNA initiative.

Does production of NOAH shoes create a lot of CO2 emissions?

From a carbon footprint standpoint, it's difficult to asses the impact that NOAH has, and what they do to remediate it. NOAH does not currently provide data as to their environmental impact or remediation efforts, so it's difficult to accurately asses them in these areas.

Does NOAH use green shipping methods?

It's unclear from their website if NOAH uses net-zero or negative emissions shipping partners, either domestically or internationally. We’ve asked them for clarification, and are currently awaiting reply.

Does NOAH use eco-friendly packaging?

Yes - according to NOAH, they "only use cardboard boxes that are mostly made of recycled paper. The filling material is 100% recycled paper. The adhesive tape used to seal the packages is water-based and also contains no animal ingredients."

Are NOAH shoes recyclable or biodegradable?

It’s unclear from the information available on their website if NOAH shoes are recyclable (we’ve asked for clarification from the NOAH team, and are currently awaiting reply). However, in 2019 they released a line of organic shoes that are biodegradable.

How should I dispose of my worn out NOAH shoes?

We’ve asked the NOAH team if they currently have, or are developing, a shoe recycling program (for their non-biodegradable models), and are awaiting reply. In the meantime, Get it Vegan recommends either trying to have them repaired, donating them to someone in need, or taking them to a clothing recycling depot (if available in your city), which can strip them down to their recyclable components.

Where can I buy NOAH shoes?

NOAH shoes can be purchased from their website, and can be shipped to almost any country in the world. NOAH also has retail partners in Germany, Italy, USA, Spain, and their shoes are available through host of online resellers, including Immaculate Vegan.

Do NOAH shoes ever go on sale?

Yes - there’s a “Sale” section of their website, and we noticed sales in the area of 10-50% when we visited. NOAH also currently offers a 10€ voucher for subscribing to their newsletter.

Where are NOAH shoes made?

NOAH hand crafts their shoes in Italy.

Are NOAH shoes ethically made?

Yes! NOAH shoes are made in Italy, which means their labourers are protected by the stringent labour laws of the European Union, which also include strong health and safety regulations.

Does NOAH promote ‘slow fashion’ or a ‘circular economy’?

NOAH appears to incorporate several elements of a circular economy/slow fashion model, such as: employing fair labour; using eco-friendly materials; avoiding discount-level pricing; making timeless styles; making their products by hand; using eco-friendly packaging; and selling their "B stock" items.

Is NOAH a charitable company?

Yes - NOAH is partnered with Tree Nation, through which it plants a tree for every order they receive.

NOAH Footwear Range

NOAH makes a wide variety of men's, women's, unisex & children's shoes, slippers, sandals & boots. Their shoes range from classic and elegant, to casual and sporty. NOAH's signature look is leather and suede-look professional shoes, although they have a lot of modern and casual styles, some of which are even fully biodegradable canvas shoes. NOAH's price points range from mid-range (from $80 CAD or so) all the way to luxury ($400+ CAD).