Non-Toxic Running Shoe

April 15, 2020 by Lisa Powers

Question from Jason

Kinda in a bind here im a guy looking for non toxic sneakers for running and working out in that are seemingly comfortable. However none of the mainstream brands have a shoe good enough imo thats non toxic. I found a couple off of debs older list and was wondering you thoughts on how non toxic and safe they are.

https://po-zu.com/collections/mens-sneakers/products/pace-2-mens-black

-This one is made up of 100% Recycled Polyester Mesh & Eco Microfibre alternative to leather which is not ideal but it is OEKO-TEX Certified.

https://wills-vegan-store.com/vegan-wvsport-oakes-cross-running-trainers-womens-black.html

https://po-zu.com/products/brisk-black-white?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1rCc4cje6AIVhK7ICh0AMwsbEAkYASABEgJSZPD_BwE&variant=1212638023

Lisa’s Answer

I feel your pain.  I am not aware of any truly non-toxic running shoe that provide an acceptable level of performance.  I feel that the benefits of running offset the minor exposure from a good pair of running shoes and I keep mine in the garage to avoid any off-gassing in the house.  That said, it's always good to be on the lookout for better options.

Kudos to po-zu.  While not perfect, these are about the least toxic sneakers I have seen.  I can't attest to the performance but the materials are impressive.  The Brisk has slightly better materials than Pace 2 but both are very good options.

The Pace 2 has a sole made of natural latex and a blend of natural latex and cork.  The foot mattress is natural latex.  These are all good.  The glues used are water-base.  The outer and lining materials are synthetic but OEKO-Tex certified so at least they are not processed with harsh chemicals.  The biggest concerns on a traditional running shoe is the foam insert and synthetic rubber sole.  This shoe doesn't have those materials.  The synthetic upper material is not a big exposure.

The BRISK is even cleaner because it does not use any glue.  It has some organic cotton in addition to synthetic material.

The shoes from Will's are vegan and ethically made but use materials that are more similar to traditional running shoes.  They have synthetic rubber soles and EVA insoles.

If you end up buying a pair from po-zu, please let us know how they perform and how they hold up.

Just a note to those who are particularly sensitive, I can tell you about the toxicity of the materials but I can't say what any individual will react to because everyone is different.

Also, check out the updated Debra’s List of shoes and slippers.