This is an interesting area of discussion. Whenever I come across a person who was not aware there was a thing called 'vegan shoes' (http://www.veganshoes.com.au), I find they assume that the shoes will be unusual from a fashion point of view. Not only 'daggy' (surely vegos don't dress well), but even poorly made (threads hanging out, weak seams etc). We should not be afraid to let our founding principles help determine the 'fashion' element of the final product.

Thanks for so much well considered and researched information on the topic. Something I'm sure most lay people wouldn't have thought about. I think the starting point in this industry is the reduced impact on the environment and, in many cases, animals (http://www.veganshoes.com.au). If technology can extend the benefits that's great, but it doesn't sound like the risks are understood well enough yet.