Kenneth Cole Unlisted makes them. Stella McCartney has an entire collection, featuring plush velvet sandals and strappy high heels. You can find them online at places like www.dragonflyshoes.com and www.funkeefeet.com. You can even get running shoes made without leather from companies like Saucony, New Balance, Adidas, and Nike.

In her new book, Making Kind Choices: Everyday Ways to Enhance Your Life Through Earth- and Animal-Friendly Living , Ingrid E. Newkirk explains how the advent of faux suede, new breathable synthetic skins, and other handmade materials has made it easy to find shoes that are comfortable, fashionable, kind to animals, and friendly to the planet. Newkirk, cofounder and president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, lists and compares selections of the designers, companies, stores, and online sources from which such shoes can be had. Her book is full of practical, specific advice on how to live, eat, shop, and work in ways that are easier on animals and the environment.

Although some people may think of leather as “natural,” Newkirk points out that the formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives, cyanide-based oils, and other toxins used to process animal skins have infiltrated the ecosystem and caused cancer both in workers and in those living downstream from factories. In contrast, she says, the process used to make synthetic shoes leaves a much lighter ecological footprint.

From vegetarian shoes to cruelty-free contact lens solution, clothing, and cosmetics, Making Kind Choices is a gold mine of simple, accessible information for consumers who want to tread more lightly on the planet. Look for it in bookstores or order it online at PETABookstore.com. A photo of the book is available upon request.