Vegan Birkenstocks Have Arrived

It's been a long time coming, but beloved sandal brand Birkenstocks is finally releasing a non-leather option. So, when are vegan Birkenstocks coming out? Luckily for us, they're already here: They're arriving at the official online store on Jan. 9, and they'll be available at select retail locations starting in February. The sandals' vegan options have actually been available in Europe for a while now (they even picked up a 2016 Vegan Fashion Award from PETA in Germany), so it's exciting to see that we're finally getting the new shoes here in the U.S.

The new vegan shoes will be available in many of Birkenstock's most popular styles — so far, the non-leather versions of the Arizona (the famous and well-loved double-strapped style), the Madrid (the almost-as-famous single-strapped look) and the Rio sandal style for kids are all available online. Since they're made without any animal products, the vegan Birkenstocks are actually made from "a waterproof and lightweight synthetic material," according to the website — which makes them perfect for summers by the pool and on the beach, and quite convenient for kids and grown-ups alike. In addition to these one-piece molded summer styles, more new vegan Birkenstock models will also be heading to the online store soon.

As PETA director of corporate affairs Anne Brainard told Yahoo Style, "These iconic vegan styles meet the skyrocketing demand for footwear that’s as trendy and comfortable as it is kind to animals and the environment."

According again to Yahoo Style, more styles will eventually become available from the brand, including the stylish Gizah T-strap, as well as the popular Boston clogs, and these will be priced between $30 and $110.

What do you think? Will you be taking Birkenstocks' latest designs out for a spin?