Zette Shoes is a Fully Vegan Brand

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Zette Shoes Brand Overview

"We also don’t believe ethical fashion necessitates a compromise to quality or style, so we select luxurious, eco-conscious, cruelty-free materials - such as Italian & Spanish crafted vegan leathers that hold Ecolabel and OEKO-TEX certifications." - Zette team

About Zette Shoes

"For us, ethical shoes are completely free from animals and any harm to them. Humans of course, are one of many animal species, and so we make our shoes in supply chains that value and respect humans as much as any other species." - Zette Shoe team

Is Zette Shoes an ethically vegan brand?

Zette Shoes 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, "For us, ethical shoes are completely free from animals and any harm to them."

What materials are used to make Zette Shoes?

Zette doesn't go into too much detail about the materials used to make their shoes, but most are made primarily of vegan/synthetic leather - either of a polyurethane (PU) base, or of a plant base (such as their corn leather range).

Are their shoes low-impact/eco-friendly/sustainable?

It's difficult to assess the eco-friendliness of Zette Shoes’s footwear, as we don't know the exact materials they use, and can't find any relevant data on their website. Generally speaking, however, vegan leathers are less harmful to the environment than animal-derived leathers - this is backed up by data from inside the fashion industry as well as outside. For the data, please see Collective Fashion Justice’s CIRCUMFAUNA initiative.

Does production of their shoes create a lot of harmful emissions?

From a carbon footprint standpoint, it's difficult to asses the impact that Zette Shoes has, and what they do to remediate it. The brand 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 Zette Shoes use ‘green’ / ‘low-impact’ shipping methods?

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

Does Zette Shoes use eco-friendly/low-impact packaging?

According to Zette Shoes, "When you order your shoes from our in-house brand, you'll get a recycled box and (recycled) tissue paper, and your shoes - that's it." The brand also says that they don't use post cards or other printed marketing with their orders for waste-prevention reasons, and that they re-use stock boxes to ship large orders for those same reasons.

Are any of their shoes compostable or recyclable?

We've reached out to the Zette Shoes team to get further details on this, and are awaiting reply.

How should I dispose of my old Zette Shoes?

We’ve asked their team if they currently have, or are developing, a shoe recycling program, and are awaiting reply. In the meantime, Get it Vegan recommends either trying to have them repaired by a local cobbler, 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.

Which stores can I buy Zette Shoes from?

Zette Shoes can be purchased from their 'Vegan Style' website, and can be shipped to most countries worldwide. We've asked them if they work with other retailers, and are currently awaiting reply.

Do Zette Shoes ever go on sale?

When we last visited their website, we noticed that certain models were on sale - typically from 20-40% off of their regular prices.

Where are Zette Shoes made?

Zette Shoes are made in Portugal, Spain, and Brazil. You can find more information about Zette's partner factories here.

Are their shoes made with fair labour?

Zette shoes are made in Portugal, Spain, & Brazil, which means their European labourers are protected by the stringent labour laws of the European Union, which also include strong health and safety regulations.
With regard to their factory in Brazil, their worker's are protected by the labour laws of Brazil, which include 8 hour work days, or 44 hour work weeks (similar to Alberta, Canada). Their Brazilian factory is also the Ahimsa factory, which is renowned for its fair conditions and transparency (it's also a fully-vegan factory). Here is some further information about the Ahimsa factory (from March 13, 2023):
• Location: Franca, Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Production volume: 150 pairs per day
• Factory size: 40 employees
• Working hours: 7am to 4.30pm
• Salary for shoemakers: 1900 BRL/month +275 BRL food bonus
• Industry standard salary: 1342 BRL/month

Is Zette Shoes a charitable company?

We’ve asked their team about any charitable initiatives they're involved with (if any), and are currently awaiting reply, as there is no such information available on their website.

Does Zette Shoes promote ‘slow fashion’ or a ‘circular economy’?

Zette Shoes incorporates some elements of a circular economy, such as: making their shoes in limited quantities; making their shoes by hand; making some unisex footwear; incorporating plant-based leather as a primary material on a line of shoes; making some timeless styles; using very low-impact packaging; and employing fair labour.

Zette Shoes Footwear Range

Zette Shoes makes mostly women's shoes that sell at a mid to upper-mid tier pricing, but has a range of men's and unisex footwear as well. Their style can be described as bold and sophisticated, with a wide selection of styles and models. Most of their footwear is leather-look with a range of textures and patters, ranging from snakeskin and cow print, to patent and glittery. They also have a fair amount of canvas options as well. Their current product catalogue includes: