This New Balance 990v5 is Vegan-Friendly

If you don’t have a pair of New Balance 990s in your life, you’ve been hugely missing out. Not only do they go with everything, but they're super comfortable too. And now, the OG influencer shoe, which famously fronted the brand’s “Worn by Supermodels in London and Dads in Ohio” campaign, is going to be made even more accessible thanks to the introduction of a brand-new vegan version – the New Balance 990v5 “Vegan Grey.”

That’s right – if the mesh and suede construction was putting you off before, New Balance have answered your prayers. The synthetic construction means that the shoe is made without any animal or animal by-products, but the pair are just as ‘grammable as the OG version. Retaining a similar all-grey colour palette, the “Vegan Friendly” NB 990 is made up of breathable mesh panels that take over high-heat areas (it is a running shoe, after all) and synthetic uppers that look to replicate the suede used on the original.

Elsewhere, TPU hardware complements the colourway and references the shoe’s original construction, and small reflective branding hits add extra points of interest. The “Vegan Friendly” 990 is finished with the usual white and grey ENCAP cushioned midsole, and insoles that come complete with Ortholite technology - making them both cruelty-free and comfortable.

If you’re worried that the pair won’t be as hardwearing as the original make-up, don’t stress. The vegan-friendly version is still made in the USA, so it’s very likely that no detail has been overlooked with this pair. The New Balance 990v5 “Vegan Friendly” is set to drop on Jan 21 over on New Balance, so head over to their site to set those reminders to be in with the best chance of copping a pair.

Up next, peep an early look at the KITH x New Balance 991 "Dusty Rose."