Updated 16 November 2025
Note 1: As you may have heard SoleTech (Etnies/éS/Emerica) was sold to a Swiss company (the Nidecker group). It is not owned by Pierre-André Senizergues anymore. --- scroll to the end to see photos of Pierre André S. and Don Brown if you don't know who they are.
Note 3: What's nice now is that the etnies website does not force you anymore to look at the subsite according to your country (IP address) - you can choose. Let the customer choose - thanks, etnies! The etnies - and emerica - websites look really cheap now though.
Note 4: If you want vegan skate shoe videos - check out Andrew Cannon's YouTube channel. Remember, YouTube is the drug of the nation, breeding ignorance and feeding radiation.
As always: only these colourways are vegan! Most colourways are not vegan. If they are vegan & older colourways, you can probably find them here (unless they have an all-canvas upper; I don't post all of those).
Etnies "Sal 23" black
Note this is is the black colourway with a white sole (white on the side), but not the colourway called "black white". As far as I know, this is the first time the "Sal 23" is available in a vegan version. "Sal" of course refers to Salvador Lucas Barbier (aka Sal Barbier).
The Etnies website says:
"In 1994, etnies first introduced Sal Barbier's first signature pro shoe and has been worn by legendary skateboarders all around the world.- Design and tested by Sal Barbier
- STI Comfort Level 1 insole
- Molded TPR ollie guard
- Die Cut EVA midsole
- Padded tongue and collar
- 400 NBS rubber outsole
- Breathable mesh tongue
- OG classic, flexible tread pattern
- Extra laces in custom baggie
- Custom shoebox (OG design)
- OG insole artwork
- Animal Friendly - Synthetic Suede
Apparently, Etnies was the first to introduce a Sal shoe, but if I remember correctly, the Sal 23 was an éS shoe. The 23 mirrored looks like "ES". This one looks a bit like the Airwalk "One" (from around 1992) if you ask me.
Etnies website says:
"
----------------------------------
"
----------------------------------
----------------------------------
Etnies "Marana" grey grey black
As far as I know, all "Marana" shoes have the Michelin sole (which is awesome).
The etnies website says:
"- STI Performance Level 1 insole
- STI Evolution¨ Foam Midsole
- Durable tire tread with deep flex grooves
- Michelin performance rubber outsole
- Fused on, injected rubber toe cap
- Padded Tongue And Collar
- Hidden Lace Loops
- Animal-Friendly
- Synthetic Suede /Textile
Etnies "The Snake" black gum
This is great news. One of the less cool shoes of the 90s, that now seems cool, maybe. And they have a vegan colourway now (as of August 2025). The strange etnies "smiley" will remind old people of the early 411 days - etnies commericals.
The Etnies website says:
"The Snake defined the 90s golden era of street skating [a slight exaggeration maybe] and was influenced by the outdoor streetwear culture with its organic lines and stitch details.- STI Comfort Level 1 insole [STI Comfort sounds a little strange 😁 - sexually transmitted infection?]
- Egg-crate midsoles
- Breathable mesh tongue
- Elastic tongue straps
- Padded tongue and collar
- Reinforced upper ensuring durability
- 400 NBS rubber outsole
- Original tread pattern
- Animal-Friendly
- Synthetic Suede/Mesh
Etnies "Fader" white green
When I do a search on the Etnies website for "vegan" (as of August 2025), the Fader "white green" also shows - but I think this is an error. It also shows when you click on "animal-friendly". The description says suede. I would assume it's not vegan - until proven so. Be careful - do not support the slaughterhouses.
Etnies "WINDROW VULC X DIG" black/green/gum
BMX shoe
"
- STI Comfort Level 2 insole
- Force Shield reinforced upper
- Single wrapped vulcanized construction
- Geo-Hex tread pattern
- Rubber heel wrap for support
- 400NBS rubber outsole compound
- Vegan
- Synthetic Suede/Canvas
----------------------------------
Etnies "LO-CUT SLIP X DIG" black/blue
BMX shoe
Etnies website says:
"
- STI Comfort Level 2 insole
- Double wrap vulcanized foxing tape
- Goring construction for easy slip and secure fit
- Force Shield reinforced upper
- GeoHex tread pattern
- 400NBS rubber
- Vegan
- Synthetic Suede/Canvas
----------------------------------
Etnies "Marana Michelin" dark grey/black/red
If this one is new, it seems that even under new leadership (Nidecker group), Etnies will continue to make good vegan skate shoes (?).
From the Etnies website (January 2025):
"- STI Performance Level 1 insole
- STI Evolution® Foam Midsole
- Durable tire tread with deep flex grooves
- Michelin performance rubber outsole
- Fused on, injected rubber toe cap
- Padded Tongue And Collar
- Hidden Lace Loops
- Vegan
- Synthetic Suede/Textile
----------------------------------
Etnies "Jefferson MTW x TFTF" brown/gum/gold
Note: "MTW" stands for "mid top winterized", i.e., it's a winter shoe.
From the Etnies website (January 2025):
"
STI Comfort Level 2 insole
3M™ Thinsulate™ lining
Water resistant treated upper
Reverse lug tread for traction
Thermal heat retention aluminum stroble board
400NBS rubber outsole compound
Gusseted tongue
Vegan
Synthetic Suede
"
"
STI Comfort Level 2 insole
3M™ Thinsulate™ lining
Water resistant treated upper
Reverse lug tread for traction
Thermal heat retention aluminum stroble board
400NBS rubber outsole compound
Gusseted tongue
Vegan
Synthetic Suede
"
----------------------------------
Etnies "Camber Michelin x TFTF" brown/gum
BMX shoe or mountain bike shoe. Note: this shoe has some 3M stuff and 3M is a company that does conduct invasive animal experiments.
From the Etnies website (January 2025):
"- GRIP & RIP New Michelin tread pattern designed to lock in with the pedal pins
- Sticky Michelin rubber compound provides excellent pedal & surface grip
- STI Comfort Level 1 insole
- Adjustable Power Strap for support
- Force Shield reinforced upper
- Hot-melted toe and heel cap
- Repel treated upper blocks moisture
- 3M Thinsulate™ lining
- Tongue Gussets shield moisture, dirt and pebbles
- Ankle Shield protects your inner ankle from the gears & bike frame
- Lace Pocket on top of the tongue
- TPU molded Pedal Shank 2 in the midsole
- Die Cut EVA foam midsole
- Nylon pull loop on heel
- Reflective heel panel for safety
- Vegan
- Synthetic Nubuck
----------------------------------
Etnies "Marana Michelin" [no name of colourway given] [why?][the colourway seems to be called] white grey gum
Available as of March 2025.
The Etnies website says:
"
- STI Performance Level 1 insole
- STI Evolution¨ Foam Midsole
- Durable tire tread with deep flex grooves
- Michelin performance rubber outsole
- Fused on, injected rubber toe cap
- Padded Tongue And Collar
- Hidden Lace Loops
- Vegan
- Synthetic Suede/Textile
----------------------------------------
March 2025
Probbably not vegan? Lo-Cut Slip x Santa Cruz
The Etnies website currently has two colourways (see photos below) of the "Lo-Cut Slip x Santa Cruz". The description for both shoes says "The Lo-Cut Slip x Santa Cruz is 100% vegan (canvas upper). It looks like the blue one has canvas in the mid-section, where the Etnies logo is, while the black on has some other synthetic material there. But most of the upper (all of the front and the heel) very much look like suede. It could be vegan suede or it could be animal-source suede. Double-check in an actual skate shop (or otherwise) before buying.
I sent an email to Etnies and received an equally unenlightening AI response (!): "Thank you for reaching out with your question about our footwear! 😊 We understand how important vegan products are, and we want to clarify this for you.
Etnies Skateboarding offers vegan-style footwear, and the descriptions for these shoes should provide accurate details. Sometimes, color variations within the same model can have different materials. The mention of "vegan (canvas upper)" in the product description indicates that the shoes are made from vegan materials.
You can also explore our certified Vegan collection here for more options.
Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions or concerns!
Best regards.
AI response created by skateboarders " (!)
------------------
May 2025
Etnies "Faze" [not sure what the colourway is called]
I saw these vegan Etnies called Faze on the Switch and Signal website. I had not come across them before, I think, and I don't know what year they are from. Switch and Signal is a skate park and skate shop in Pennsylvania, USA, run by (I think) Kerry who used to do veganskateblog.com. Switch and Signal only sell vegan shoes - so if you're in the US, definitely try to buy from them!!!
From a German skateboard magazine (Monster). Photos from the Münster Monster Mastership ("world championship") in Germany, 1990.
Freestyle:
1st place: Rodney Mullen
2nd place: Pierre-André Senizergues
3rd place: Don Brown
