One of my favorite shoe companies, Dr. Martens, has started selling vegan styles of their iconic leather shoes over the last few years. Many companies are trying to move towards alternatives for animal products after pioneers like Stella McCartney have been advocating and incorporating these synthetic materials; There is debate over if these materials are healthy for the planet but is a huge step towards an eco-friendly future. Brands like Stella McCartney are doing more research into leather substitutes, such as using fungi to replace its former.
Dr. Martens, also known as Doc Martens, has been a symbol for countercultures like punk, grunge, festival, and vegan fashion for decades. Their modest beginnings started in a small English town where Docs are known for their durable work boots. Recognized for their quality and durability, Doc Martens is evolving with its customers and incorporating vegan materials to their iconic footwear first introduced over sixty years ago.
Doc Martens says that they understand that being vegan is a lifestyle, and they shouldn’t compromise someone’s way of life.
In addition to their vegan footwear line, their packaging consists of a hundred percent consumer waste. Doc Martens is moving towards a more ethical production, in part of recent statistics about animal agriculture and poor treatment of livestock, commonly used in many big-name companies.
Despite differing opinions, Doc Martens continues to be a cultural icon and stable in people’s closets that don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Their vegan collection is now a new alternative for people living an environmentally conscious lifestyle and another big name incorporating these options in their products, providing more people to be inclined to do more research on eco-friendly alternatives.
Their sixty-year history isn’t going anywhere, just a new direction.
Words by Emma Mai
Graphic by Day Toscano