Blowfish Shoes Canada
Blowfish Malibu is a hip vegan footwear company headquartered in southern California. Grinning Goat is a vegan boutique in Canada where you can buy Blowfish shoes online. Both businesses believe that animals are our friends and not a fashion statement. This is why they both carry vegan products that are 100-percent animal-free.
The majority of vegans shop for animal-free fashion online. This is due to the limited number of clearly labeled options in brick-and-mortar shops. It’s definitely easier to shop for shoes online. Especially once you know which vegan shoe brand has the styles that suit your taste.
What are Blowfish Shoes?
If California was a shoe, it would definitely be on-trend stylish and comfortable. This is exactly what Blowfish shoes in Malibu offers. Created more than a decade ago, it reflects the city its co-founders love most. And that is none other than Malibu in sunny California. Every season since has brought joy to feet everywhere! Blowfish strives to make all their vegan shoes comfortable, affordable and stylish. And always of the highest quality ~ with the spirit of California’s endless summer living along for the ride!
Feel the Blowfish Malibu Difference
Wearing a pair of Blowfish Malibu shoes has a vibe. One of walking a palm tree lined street while a cool ocean breeze washes over you. They are as comfortable for your soul as the soles of your feet.
Every pair has been thoughtfully designed to mirror the easygoing California aesthetic. Blowfish Malibu houses a group of forward-thinking designers. They always have their vision toward affordable quality and on-trend style ~ with a twist. These talented creatives ensure that every shoe design is 100-percent cruelty free! Many are registered with the Vegan Society.
The Vegan Society was created by the same person that coined the word “vegan” in the 1940s. After witnessing the slaughter of a pig at the age of 14, Donald Watson stopped eating meat. As an adult, he co-founded the Vegan Society with the goal of avoiding cruelty to animals.
Compassion in Fashion
More people than ever are taking to heart the vegan way of life. What started as a healthy and kind diet has morphed into an even more conscious choice. One to avoid the use of animal products in all areas of life. This includes household goods, beauty products and clothing.
Blowfish Malibu and Grinning Goat both believe that cruelty is not a fashion statement worth embracing. Vegan products allow you to take a stand against the exploitation of animals. It’s also an opportunity to improve your own health and reduce your carbon footprint on our planet. These are some of the reasons that Grinning Goat is proud of all their vegan offerings.
It is also why a percentage of every purchase goes to a local animal sanctuary. One that helps rescued farm animals. You support these animals and all other animals when you buy Blowfish Malibu shoes.
The Blowfish Shoe Design Team
Blowfish’s co-founder Stephen Hoyt is a Malibu native and the lead designer. His personal beach resort style is reflected throughout their collection of chill designs.
Hoyt oversees a group of talented designers ~ including Marcy whose sense of style is sparkly. Her favorite thing about Malibu are the palm trees. Marcy is most proud of designing Blowfish’s K-10 sneakers. Chip loves the beaches of Malibu and his motorcycle. He is most proud of designing Blowfish's lace-up high-top Koala sneakers.
Susana is a Los Angeles native who always follows her heart. She loves too many things to count about Malibu, but the weather tops the list. Susana is open to design inspirations from everywhere. Ashley’s sense of style is simple but always with one added statement piece. She loves California beaches, glitter eyeshadow, and taking her spaceship for midnight rides.
Committed to Lowering the Carbon Footprint
Blowfish Malibu’s Green Team ensures their actions speak louder than their words. This results in being more conscious about how they design, manufacture, and market their shoes. They are committed to low-waste packaging and the use of more recycled materials.
More than 600 million shoes end up in landfills every single year. Blowfish strives to be part of the solution instead of being part of this problem.
Designing Eco-Friendly Shoes
Much goes into making a shoe eco-friendly! Especially since it’s the road least taken. Because of this, there is a lot of trial and error. What sounds good on paper doesn’t always work out in real life. It’s back to the drawing board until it’s stylish + comfortable + affordable + sustainable. Blowfish doesn’t stop until they have a better shoe in all aspects.
Blowfish Malibu’s design team is always on the hunt for more eco-friendly options. Vegan materials include faux leather. It mimics the look and feel of animal leather but performs better. This man-made material is made from polyurethane, a flexible plastic material. Faux leather can also be made from apple cores, pineapples, grape skins, and cereal grains! The biggest challenge with cutting-edge materials is that they are usually more expensive. For now, man-made materials keep the costs down.
Top Blowfish Picks | Spring and Summer
Wearing Blowfish shoes is like a vacation for your feet! We have our favorite designs for Spring and Summer 2022. They include six stylish sandals and five snazzy sneakers.
Spring + Summer | Stylish Sandals
Sandals are the oldest shoe design. Everyone from ancient pharaohs to philosophers wore sandals. At first, they were only worn by the upper class. Later, a color system indicated social status. From the Middle Ages until the 20th century, sandals were not worn for the most part.
Not until a fashion designer came to Hollywood to design sandals for historical movies. This same designer created wedge sandals in the 1930s. The idea was to create a more comfortable shoe than the traditional heel. Today wedge sandals are a staple for spring and summer.
Blowfish has California-inspired sandals that are so cool and très chic, you may want them all! Whatever design you choose, you will never have to trade style for comfort.
The Beautiful Byea Leopard Sahara Grassland Sandal will have you looking and feeling California glamorous. This sandal features a micro-wedge that is perfect for city streets or sandy beaches. Its partial canvas upper is super lightweight and breathable. This sexy sandal has a finishing touch of Malibu branded hardware. The footbed is extra cushioned to keep your feet comfortable all day long. The cushioned insole prevents blisters, provides arch support, and reduces muscle fatigue.
Its lush leopard design pulls any outfit together instantly. Leopard print is always relevant and in fashion! It was first introduced on the catwalk by designer Christian Dior in the 1940s as an alternative to fur. This timeless feline fashion has represented fierce confidence, playfulness and resilience for centuries. This pop of print is like a neutral color ~ so it goes with all other colors and patterns.
The hottest California-inspired look for this spring is the Brilliant Balla-D Black Draped Dye Cut Sandal! This adorable design has an iconic Roman sandal silhouette with a twist. It has a woven upper and unique micro cut-out design. The cut-out is reminiscent of early 1900s tango dancing shoes. It has a half-inch micro-wedge perfect for any terrain. The inside zipper makes for a perfect fit. The accent ankle straps are very old world yet modern. It has Blowfish’s signature cushioned insole. This Balla-D sandal will add miles of style to your spring wardrobe.
The Marvelous Marge Platform Wedge Sandal will keep your spring-looks California cool. It features a lightweight stacked sole with an uber comfortable molded footbed. This footbed contours to your foot to support it and hold it in place. This easy-going shoe has a faux leather upper, a branded button, a metal buckle closure and a multi-wear strap.
Own the fun in the sun this summer with Blowfish’s newest sandal! The Blithe Besille-K Sandal is super cute! This carefree sandal has peek-a-boo cutouts in the soft faux leather braided straps. It is extra comfortable with a lightly padded insole and a lightweight outsole. The Velcro closure allows you an easy in and out. This cheery sandal will update any look you own. Guaranteed!
Rock the warm weather with the chic and essential Bohemian Boxcar Sandal. This delightful shoe features a multistrip decorative ankle with a single adjustable strap. The heel’s zipper allows you an easy on and off. This sensational sandal has a micro-wedge heel and a cushioned footbed.
Add some California dreaming to any outfit with the Gorgeous Goya Arabian Sand Sandal. This inspirational sandal features Blowfish’s signature faux cork footbed. It has a cushioned insole and faux leather upper with a Velcro closure. These are the perfect pool party sandals!
Snazzy Sneakers | Spring + Summer
Sneakers have been the star of the most important footwear revolution of the last century. It’s the most multipurpose shoe! You can even pair them with a little black dress to make it more casual. Blowfish Malibu sneakers make comfort both functional and fabulous!
Blowfish’s newest sneaker, the Laid-back Laceless Aussie, is ready to take on warm weather by land or by sea. This sneaker spotlights a pre-distressed upper with top-stitching and a terry cloth lining. They are lightweight and flexible with a sole that will never leave scuff marks. They are easy to slide on and off. They are the perfect choice to throw in your bag for the boat or beach or anytime you are on the go!
Carefree California gals love sliding into this Merry Marley Color-washed Sneaker. This lightweight shoe has a canvas upper with elastic on the vamp for easy on and off. The upper rocks distressed edges and contrast stitching. It has a cushioned footbed allowing for all-day comfort. This sneaker will travel nonchalantly from summer into fall too! It will perfectly compliment your favorite distressed boyfriend jeans.
You will love Blowfish’s Fun Fruit Sneaker! This outgoing shoe has a super foam sock footbed and a pre-distressed upper with top stitching. It can be worn with or without socks, as the terry cloth lining makes it feel like you’re wearing socks. The decorative laces and zipper create an effortless look.
The extra thick cushioning makes them super comfortable. But also makes them fit larger. It’s recommended that you select a half-size smaller than normal.
Upgrade your collection with the Must-have Mamba Sneaker. These slip-on slices of heaven are lightweight and comfortable. They have a hidden wedge and a distressed canvas upper with elastic at the vamp, a cushioned insole, and branded hardware. These sneakers have moxie!
Get playful this spring with Blowfish’s Perky Play Sneaker. It features a cool pre-distressed and unlaced look. It has elastic inside to make taking them on and off easier. The signature branded Blowfish eyelets tie it all together. These are one pair of spunky sneakers!
Why Vegan Shoes?
You love fashion, Mother Earth, animals, and fun in the sun!
To wear vegan footwear is to be a more compassionate and kind human being. Together, we can create a kinder world than the one we were all born into. One where we can look a pig, cow or goat in the eye and say that our appetite for their flesh is not more important than their life. Kindness is a choice. And like working any muscle, the more we do it, the easier it becomes.
If you aren’t ready to go all in ~ then start by leaning in. Little changes are better than no changes.
Vegan Fashion Is Cost-Effective
Vegan fashion will save the planet and your pocketbook! It’s simply less expensive than the unkind animal alternatives. Often, at least half the price.
Vegan footwear is manufactured without the use of animals. This means that from concept to delivery of shoes - no animal is used or abused to make a buck. Beyond helping animals, vegan shoes help the planet. They do so by reducing the waste normally generated by using animal products.
Instead of leather, vegan shoes are made from natural materials. These include apples, bananas, and mushrooms. Shoes are also made from man-made materials such as polyurethane, microfiber or rubber. Vegan shoes make every effort to use recycled materials. These include plastic bottles, tires, scraps of yarn, used canvas and cork, and leftovers from food industry production. Recycled and man-made materials have far less environmental impact than using animal materials.
Even if you still eat animals, you can feel good about choosing vegan footwear. It’s a better choice for the planet and your soul. The number of recycled materials and natural fibers being considered for vegan footwear increases daily. The goal is always to make shoes that are both ethically sourced and environmentally-friendly.
Faux leather is extremely durable. To start off, it’s waterproof. It can withstand treatment that would damage animal leather. It’s not prone to cracking or peeling. It’s also able to withstand scratches and scrapes that leather can’t handle.
Quick and Easy Fashion Kills
Mass-produced low quality fashion uses a lot of valuable resources. A single cheap cotton t-shirt needs more than 2500 liters of water! This is what is needed to grow the cotton for one t-shirt! Cheaply made fashion is like fast food. It has a short lifespan. One that usually ends in a landfill or in our oceans. Even though 95-percent of textiles can be recycled or reused, 20 billion tons of it end up in landfills annually. More than 80-percent of all the plastic in our oceans comes from clothing fibers. Quick and easy fashion drains natural resources and negatively impacts our environment. It's a never-ending vicious circle.
It’s always better to buy quality. Good quality fashion can last you a lifetime. Thoughtfully sourced fashion adds value to everyone. This includes customers, employees, and the planet.
Selling a product can’t just be all about profit margins. The economy is circular. More questions need to be asked about how a product is really doing. Only when we know how it impacts all involved can we answer that question. For example, if a harmful chemical is used to produce a product. And that chemical negatively impacts workers or nearby residents or consumers. Then that product - no matter how well it is selling - can’t be considered a success. The cost is too high in ways that no profit margin can make up for. And it usually doesn’t even try.
Making more responsible choices as a consumer will help move the needle to a more sustainable place. Taking better care of what you have and mending something versus throwing it out will have a huge impact.
Animals are not Ingredients
To learn about using animals in products is to learn how cruel it is. Millions of animals are tortured and killed every single year to clothe humans. We have become numb to how we objectify animals, so much so we don’t even realize we are doing it. And contrary to popular belief, treating animals humanely before you kill them is not humane.
The environment suffers horribly too. The worst culprits are textiles made of leather, silk and non-organic wool and cotton.
What you decide to wear is your vote for how you want the world to be. Buying a pair of leather boots is a different vote than purchasing a pair of faux leather boots made out of apples.
Leather made from animal skins is the most used material in making shoes and accessories. Most of the world’s fashion leather comes from cows and pigs. Though other animals have their skins used in fashion too. These include snakes, alligators, ostriches, kangaroos, goats, sheep, cats, and dogs.
Most of these animals suffer their entire lives in unimaginable conditions. And then they are savagely slaughtered. Some are even skinned while still alive. Some smaller animals like cats are thrown alive into vats of boiling water to remove their hides.
Slink leather comes from unborn calves. They are forcefully taken by humans from a cow's womb. One that was artificially impregnated by a human. All so a cow can produce milk for human consumption.
Animal skin doesn’t become leather until it’s treated. This tanning process takes a lot of natural resources and uses a lot of carcinogens. It’s not only toxic to the environment, but also harmful to the health of workers that engage in the process.
The wool industry is equally cruel. Most assume that sheep just get a simple haircut. The problem is in how they are mistreated. They are often injured during shearing. And as they grow older, they produce less wool and are then killed for their meat. A shearling is a young sheep that is only shorn once before slaughter. Persian wool comes from newborn lambs slaughtered within a day or two of birth. Some are cut out of their mother’s wombs to be slaughtered.
Cashmere is a very soft wool that comes from the undercoats of goats. They are shorn in winter when they need their own fur most. Often, they freeze to death because of it.
Mohair comes from angora goats. It’s prized for its softness and is one of the most expensive fabrics in the world. Workers are paid by the volume, leading to appalling cruelty to the goats.
Angora wool comes from angora rabbits. The cramped cages they live in often result in spine deformities. Their fur is plucked from their skin. It’s extremely stressful and painful. When the rabbits are too old to produce angora, they are slaughtered for their skins. Hides that are made into clothing and decorative accent pieces.
Silk is prized for its smooth texture. It’s a breathable fabric that is naturally hypoallergenic. It takes boiling alive thousands of silkworms to make one kilogram of silk. It takes an acre of mulberry trees to produce only 35 pounds of silk. More than ten billion silkworms are boiled alive annually for silk. The industry is also a big polluter.
Down are soft feathers plucked from ducks and geese. The birds are kept in horrible conditions. They are either plucked after slaughter or while still alive.
Horn is a keratin rich substance that is harvested from animal hooves and beaks of birds. It is used to make jewelry and buttons.
Nacre comes from mussel shells. It’s used in jewelry and accessories.
There are many other animals that suffer similar fates.
Vegan Alternative Materials
There are gorgeous alternatives to animal materials.
Apple leather is made from discarded apple skins and cores from the food industry. It’s made into a pulp that is then dried to create a flexible fabric. It looks and feels like animal leather.
Bamboo is a natural fiber made from a sustainable plant that is great for the environment. It is fantastic to use in shoes! It is a fast-growing plant that requires no pesticides, chemicals or fertilizers. It is three times as strong as cotton and has more stretch. It’s woven into linen to make bamboo rayon.
Hemp is a natural fiber that is more durable than most other natural fibers. It’s far more absorbent and warmer and sustainable than cotton. Hemp is in the cannabis family of plants. The plant has deep roots allowing it access to water and nutrients deep down in the earth. Because of this, watering is often not required. It is also better for the soil, so it can be harvested more often. The fabric is made from the stalk of the plant. After bamboo, it’s the fastest growing plant used in making vegan fabrics.
Linen is made from flax plants. It’s a breathable fabric that is durable. It becomes softer and stronger the more you wear it. It’s the best fabric to wear during warmer weather. It’s also one of the most sustainable fabrics.
Leftover food waste is proving to be a great way to help the environment. It takes what was destined for landfills and uses it to make shoes.
Organic canvas is a natural fiber made from cotton, linen, polyvinyl chloride, and hemp. People in ancient times wove canvas from hemp. In fact, the word canvas comes from the word cannabis which means “made from hemp.” It’s important to choose organic canvas because of the harmful chemicals used in non-organic canvas.
Tencel is made from wood pulp. Usually eucalyptus, beech, or birch trees. All the resources used to produce Tencel are recycled. This makes it a very sustainable textile.
Soy fabric has the luster of silk, the resilience of cotton, and the comfort of cashmere. It’s made from a waste by-product of processing soybeans for food.
Nylon was the first synthetic fiber made by man. It was developed in the 1930s as a replacement for silk in ladies’ stockings. This man-made fabric, when used in shoes, is light, strong, and durable. It is not biodegradable so it’s important that it be recycled.
Cork is a natural fiber from oak trees. It’s biodegradable and sustainable because it can be recycled. It is also used to make vegan leather.
How to Choose Vegan Shoes
All shoemakers are required to label shoes with the elements they are composed of. A pictogram sticker should be on the soles of every brand-new pair of shoes you buy. Vegan certifications include a diamond shaped symbol. It represents that no animal products were used. There can also be labels in different parts of the shoe indicating specific materials used. These labels can be found in the upper part of the shoe, the lining, and the outer sole.
A rookie mistake is to assume that a mention of all-natural materials is equivalent to being vegan-friendly. Shoes made of hemp may seem vegan-friendly at first glance. Upon closer inspection, you may find the glue used was actually made from animal by-products. Shoe glue can contain flesh and bones from horses and rabbits. And manufacturers are not obligated to let you know if the glue they use is an animal product. Today, vegan glue is more effective and costs less. If you are unclear about the glue used, contact the manufacturer directly to ask. It will help you know what you are buying. It will also help to alert shoemakers that they should stop using animal glue if they still are.
What About 100% Cruelty-Free?
Don’t assume when a label states that it is cruelty free that it is vegan. You will see this a lot on beauty products. Not testing on animals does not mean that no animal ingredients were used. When a product states that there are no animal ingredients, it doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t test on animals. It’s important to ask questions first and buy after your questions have been satisfactorily answered.
California Vegan Living
California is a vegan-friendly state. There is easy access to vegan-friendly eateries and markets around most corners. Californians value their health, the well-being of the planet, and the lives of animals. Kindness to self, Mother Earth, and fellow creatures are where the perfect vegan trifecta resides.
There are many helpful vegan websites to help veteran vegans and newbies alike. California’s vegans like to share tips on how to transition into a vegan lifestyle. There are many passionate blogs. One is The Simple Veganista that Julie started in 2012 after becoming a vegan in 2011. Her site is super organized! It has helpful recipes organized by course, dietary needs, ingredients, and method (budget-friendly, kid-friendly, and easy weekend dinners).
Jasmine is a Los Angeles native that started her blog Sweet Simple Vegan in 2013 as a hobby. It has since transformed into a platform to inspire others to live more consciously when it comes to animals and our planet.
Veganism is a Conscious Choice
Everyone makes a conscious choice to embrace a vegan lifestyle. No one makes a conscious choice to start eating and wearing animals. You were born into a world where that decision was made for you. You just did what you were told without questioning any of it. That is until the day you started questioning why billions of animals are objectified out of existence every single year. All so they can become an object for humans to wear or taste.
Someone once said that it doesn’t matter when you wake up, just that you do wake up. It’s time to wake up to the nightmare we are putting animals and humans and our planet through. It’s time to see that there is a better way. A kinder way. A more humane way to live our lives.