Ethical shoes TBC

Toetally boot in green. Green Toe, £100. Gosh, I thought upon perusing the first eco shoe market from the people behind the Ugg boot, I‘m sure I’ve seen those before. They look exactly like the footwear favoured by my sister’s German exchange, last seen 15 years ago. Yes, hats off to Deckers Outdoor Corporation, for making an environmentally friendly shoe, one it claims is made entirely of biodegradable materials (jute, hemp, straw, wool, cork, bamboo etc) – and one uglier than the Ugg! Photograph: PR

Juniper blue high-heeled court shoe. Terra Plana, £95. A shoe that looks like a shoe rather than a confrontational lifestyle statement. It is made from real leather but 'chrome free' – chrome being a potential carcinogen. More worryingly, its sole is made of 'recycled foam', which I’m betting ain’t much cop in the rain. Nonetheless, it is stylish, smart and you might almost have bought it from Marni. Stockists: 020-7407 3758, terraplana.com Photograph: PR

Women’s patrol trainer. Patagonia, £65. You know how when you go to a 70s-throwback healthfood cafe and order a 'burger' tasting like it was made from sawdust, punctuated with the odd bit of tinned carrot? Well, welcome to the sartorial equivalent! I salute the intention, but I’m not sure if Patagonia understands that a shoe made from materials last seen in an art class circa 1967 probably won’t slake a teenager’s desire for a pair of Nike Air Max. Stockists: 0800 0260055, patagonia.com Photograph: PR

Olivia pointed toe kitten heel ankle boot in black. Beyond Skin, £99.99. Not bad, are they? And nice timing on the part of Beyond Skin, probably the best known eco-friendly and ethical footwear brand. Ankle boots are terribly in this season, though a chunky heel instead of a spindly one would make these look a little less 1991. Unfortunately, the company’s name sends a shiver up my spine. Stockists: 01273 746781, thenaturalstore.co.uk Photograph: PR

Dorothy shoe in red. Vegetarian Shoes, £49.95. These come with a leaflet showing a happy looking cow wearing what appear to be Doc Marten boots. Not being a DM girl, I opt for the red buckle shoes from the company, which is ethical, fairtrade and – yuh doan say! – leather-free. This pair is actually quite nice, if a little too self-consciously quirky for my liking. I might not be proud to wear them, but nor would they make me want to slaughter a cow. Stockists: 01273 691913 Photograph: PR

‘Yuki’ vintage kimono shoes. Hetty Rose, £320. This is actually quite a pretty shoe – from the side. But what on earth is going on with that peephole on top? Maybe I’m thinking too much about this, but this intimates to me that the designer, Hetty Rose, thinks vegetarians are so starved of sensual pleasures they get an erotic thrill out of toe cleavage. Um, no. Other than that, it’s a beautiful shoe, wholly made from vintage materials. Stockists: 01273 746781, thenaturalstore.co.uk Photograph: PR