Gifted items.
As you might know I am *mostly* vegan and been vegetarian for over a decade. When it comes to buying non-food items it’s ALWAYS vegan if it’s a new item. If I have to buy something newly, I do make sure that it’s vegan, cruelty free and not tested on animals. So in case of shoes for example I don’t buy leather goods.
But these days you don’t have to compromise the long lasting effect and quality of leather shoes if you want a vegan alternative.
This is why I was excited when Start-Rite asked me to review their vegan school shoes range. It’s great the brands like StartRite do invest in catering for people like me. And it’s not just a pair of shoes for each gender, a few to choose from. These vegan school shoes offer the same high standards you’d expect from a Start-Rite design, but are made with no animal products. As opposed to the common misconception: no they are not just plastic. They are built for quality and designed to provide maximum comfort and support for growing feet.
About Start-Rite
Founded in 1792 Start-Rite has been an expert in children’s shoes. They make comfortable, adventure-worthy shoes that are custom fitted so they last longer. Their new vegan collection is part of their ongoing efforts to become even more sustainable.
What we thought about the shoes
Choosing the right size was easy with the Start-Rite measuring gauge (comes in two sizes for infant and children sizes). The biggest advantage of this, that I am able to select half sizes which is important to have the shoes perfectly fit. Schools shoes are really need to be as comfortable as possible.Shoes that don’t fit properly can annoy the child all day and that will have an effect on their mood and ability to focus when in school. Especially in Bobcat’s case who can have sensory issues with clothing and shoes. And if it’s not correct you can alway use the free 90-day returns, which is a piece of mind when it comes to ordering school shoes.
We have received the models Bliss (for girls)
- Soft vegan friendly water resistant upper
- Padded ankles for added comfort and support
- Vegan friendly breathable linings to help keep feet dry and comfy
- Lightweight & flexible sole for natural movement and healthy foot development
- Enhanced protection around the toe, heel and side of the foot to cater to growing types and levels of activity
and Engineer (for boys)
- Riptape fastening for easy adjustment by little fingers
- Padded ankles for added comfort and support
- Leather linings to absorb moisture and help keep little feet dry and comfy
- Lightweight & flexible sole for natural movement and healthy foot development
- Enhanced protection around the toe, heel and side of the foot to cater to growing types and levels of activity
- Soft vegan friendly water resistant upper
They are very comfortable, the padding is great and they have a good sole surface grip (I guess it’s a good feature for clumsy children like by boy). Also good to find riptape fastening in bigger sizes (Bobcat has ASD and this skill has not been mastered yet…). Like I mentioned it earlier, it’s crucial for him that his school shoes are the perfect fit so they don’t annoy or distract him during the school day.
My daughter really likes the subtle girly design of flowers and the Mary Jane type of shoes are her favourites when it comes to school shoes. She also loves the sole pattern.
The padding by the achilles is also a great feature, that is where both of them feels most shoes a bit problematic – not these ones!
All in all, very happy with the quality of the shoes.
