Soneha is a Fully Vegan Brand

Shop on:

Soneha Brand Overview

Founded in 2021, Soneha uses innovative Desserto® organic cactus leather to make accessibility-focused unisex dress shoes, that help address challenges that people with low motor skills face. "Through the power of fashion you can make a positive impact on a person’s self esteem without making a negative impact on the environment." - Soneha team

About Soneha Cactus Leather Shoes

"All our shoes in India are made under the supervision of the non-profit who connects adults with working opportunities. We also perform random visits to the artisan shops to ensure everyone working on our shoes are in safe working conditions and are fairly compensated." - Soneha team

Is Soneha an ethically vegan brand?

Soneha appears to be an intentionally and ethically vegan brand, rather than one that uses vegan materials out of convenience, or for other reasons. According to Soneha Founder Nimreet Grewal, she wanted her cousin Arvind's dress shoes to be vegan, cruelty-free, and eco-friendly (her cousin being the inspiration for starting the brand).

What materials are used to make Soneha shoes?

Soneha uses USDA certified organic Desserto® cactus leather as their main upper material. They also use Velcro® to make their shoes easier to tie, and the soles of the shoes are made out of recycled rubber. Soneha has also teased that it will soon be offering shoes made of coconut leather.

Are the materials used to make Soneha shoes eco-friendly/sustainable?

Soneha shoe materials are OEKO-TEX certified, meaning they are free of harmful toxic chemicals. Their main upper material, Desserto® cactus leather, is also USDA Organic certified. The soles are also made out of recycled rubber.

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

From a carbon footprint standpoint, it's difficult to asses the impact that Soneha has, and what they do to remediate it. Soneha 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 Soneha use eco-friendly packaging?

According to Soneha, they use plastic-free packaging and eco-friendly shipping supplies, and all of their shoe boxes are made of recycled craft materials and ship in organic cotton bags.

Does Soneha use green shipping methods?

Although they don't share any information with regards to their green shipping efforts on their website, the Soneha team has told us that they "are currently in the process of adding and developing more green shipping options as we grow."

Are Soneha shoes recyclable or compostable?

According to Soneha, they are able to recycle their cactus leather shoes into soles for their new shoes. They've told us that they're also working on up-cycling the left-over material from their production of shoes into accessory items such as keychains, wallets, etc. to reduce material waste during production. Being that they are a very new brand, they are confident that they will continue to improve these processes as they grow. 

How should I dispose of my worn out Soneha shoes?

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. Otherwise, try to contact Soneha via their website to see if they will take them back to be recycled into soles for their new shoes.

Where can I buy Soneha shoes?

For the time being, Soneha shoes can only be purchased from their website.

Do Soneha shoes ever go on sale?

When we last visited their website, there was a launch sale advertised that included free shipping plus 50% off of your order.

Are Soneha shoes ethically made?

According to Soneha, “We are working with manufacturers in two countries: India and Mexico. We only work with manufacturers who can provide a written warranty such as a contract that their laborers are paid fairly and work in safe working conditions. We also ensure that photos and videos are shared consistently throughout the whole production process. In Mexico, the supplier we work with is a women-owned workshop that only uses vegan and sustainable materials. The supplier has also given us a warranty that all their artisans are paid fairly and work in safe working conditions. The supplier is also in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including, but not limited to applicable environmental, health, and safety laws in Mexico. In India, we have stricter processes in place due to the shoe industry having an unethical child labor problem. All our shoes in India are made under the supervision of the non-profit Sadeeve, who connects people with disabilities and low-income families with working opportunities. We also perform random visits to the artisan shops to ensure everyone working on our shoes are in safe working conditions and are fairly compensated."

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

Soneha appears to incorporate several elements of a circular economy, such as: using increasingly sustainable and high-quality materials; using organic materials; using recycled materials; making timeless styles; making small product batches; using environmentally-friendly packaging; making an effort to employ fairly paid labour; and working with a non-profit to alleviate poverty.

Is Soneha a charitable company?

According to Soneha, "Yes, our products are made in India through a non-profit Sadeeve. Sadeeve's mission is to provide opportunities to people with disabilities and to elevate poor-income families. Each pair in India is made by artisans who come from challenging backgrounds. Soneha also shares 10% of all its resources in India with the non-profit that utilizes them to do poverty alleviating projects."

Soneha Product Range

Soneha makes unisex leather-look dress shoes that use a velcro strap rather than laces in order to make them more accessible for people with motor skill-related difficulties. Their shoes currently come in a black or sand colours.