8 Sustainable Running Shoes Helping You Run Like The World Depends On It

About Allbirds

Price Range: $135–$170

Lacing up a pair of eco running shoes from Allbirds is a treat.

For everyday use, the Tree Dasher 2 features a one-piece upper for seam-free comfort, a lightly padded heel, and a flexible cushioned insole. We found this shoe a reliable neutral fit for short to moderate distances. If you’re looking for sustainable trail running shoes, the Trail Runners SWT feature multi-directional 4mm lugs for increased grip on multiple terrains. Again, very reliable and something we’ve tested up to 10 miles with no blistering (something we’re prone to getting, even with blister-free socks).

We’ve done a deep dive on Allbirds’ sustainability but for the sake of brevity, here’s the summary.

Allbirds’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices

Materials:

For uppers, they use merino wool, FSC-certified TENCEL™ lyocell, or a blend of both.The SwiftFoam™ midsole features 48% bio-based castor bean oil, and the SweetFoam® midsole is made with sugarcane-based EVA. Outsoles are made from FSC-certified natural rubber. Other sustainable materials include bio-based TPU, bio-based nylon, and recycled polyester.

Note that none of the current styles are vegan as even the Tree Dasher contains a ZQ-certified regenerative merino wool heel lining.

Supply chain & labor practices:

This Certified B Corp’s ethical running shoe factory in Hai Phong, Vietnam is part of the Better Work program and suppliers must adhere to their Code of Conduct, which prohibits forced labor, child labor, unreasonable working hours, and more.

Carbon commitments & green practices:

Aside from being carbon-neutral by offsetting 100% of emissions, their Flight Plan details ways in which they plan on reducing emissions—like having all factories operate using 100% renewable energy by 2025.

In 2022, they achieved a 12% emissions reduction. Each pair is labeled with its carbon footprint and shipped in an all-in-one bag, box, and mailer made from 90% post-consumer recycled cardboard.

My Personal Review Of Allbirds Running Shoes:

“I’ve tried two different versions of the Allbirds Tree Flyer (both the 1 which I had in Yellow) and the 2 which I have now in Medium grey. I have found them extremely comfortable for being active in general and have used them for walking, running and weight training. For weight training and walking, I have zero complaints and find them more than adequate. For running, they both have tapped out around 5k for me (just over 3 miles) where I start to feel a little less comfortable and even start to blister a little (the blistering is just me though, this happens with almost all running shoes except just a few). And after running with them for a few months both have started making squelchy noises in wet conditions. So I’d say they’re great for light runs but if you want to run longer distances, there are better options out there. I’ve also tried the Trail Runners which I find to be much more robust and I can get far more mileage on. They’re ideal for trail running, I’ve tested them on several different types of trail terrain and find they work pretty well. Though I haven’t tried much further than 10km on these just yet. Watch this space.”

Review by Joy McConnochie, SJ’s Co-founder