VIVAIA Review: Sustainable Flats, Boots and More!

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Current VIVAIA Deals

Updated: 9/5/2024 | VIVAIA Review

Disclaimer: We received a pair of Valencia flats to conduct our VIVAIA review. As always, all thoughts are opinions are 100% honest and our own. 

About VIVAIA

VIVAIA is a women’s fashion brand whose claim to fame was sustainable shoes made from water bottles. Now they also make handbags and apparel.

VIVAIA is regarded as a Rothy’s competitor. At VIVAIA, they use recycled materials obtained from used plastic water bottles, turning them into spools of thread to knit the surface material for their shoes, creating a sustainable and classic look that will last for years to come

VIVAIA sent out 200 samples for ladies to test and they received glowing reviews.

In this post, I’ll review the following VIVAIA shoes:

• Aria 5 ($97) – This is VIVAIA’s most popular point shoe style. The new version comes in 6 colors. The Aria 5 has better arch support, offers a more true fit, has a wider toe box (wider by 5 degrees), and has a shockproof cushion design. They’re basically made for everything you want to do. I love traveling with them because they’re lightweight and super comfy to walk around in all day long.
• Valencia Two Tone Flats ($89) – I love these flats! They’re perfect with slacks or jeans and the two tone color is super fashionable.
• Tara Square-Toe Mid-Calf Boots ($179) – I am OBSESSED with this style. The boots stay put and look amazing. I got this pair in Peanut Butter Brown and it goes with everything.
• Round-Toe Chunky Heeled Boots ($139) – This bootie surprised me! The white color does stain easily, but that’s the risk you take with light color apparel and accessories. They are super comfy and look great with everything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Alex – Travel and Fashion (@schimiggy)

VIVAIA Review

I’ll go into detail more about the Valencia flats in this review.

We received the Valencia flat in ebony and ivory to test in our VIVAIA review. We LOVE the two-tone color block pattern and pointed tip.

When we got our shoes, we noticed that they ran big! Luckily, I have arch inserts that not only support my feet but also made the shoes fit snug. So all was not lost!

I loved the style so much and I was hooked. Below I’ll share the pros and cons of VIVAIA footwear.

Pros of VIVAIA

• Sustainably made.
  • • Each pair of shoes are made from 6 recycled plastic bottles. Some styles are made from wool fibers from happy sheep.
    • The soles are made with carbon-free rubber that is also shock-resistant, fungi-proof and odor-resistant.
• Easy to wash. VIVAIA shoes are both machine and hand washable. See their washing instructions here.
• Has heel support!
  • • Unlike Rothy’s, VIVAIA has heel support. The heel cushion is thick and great for prolonged wear.
    • The insoles are also made from rubber resin which is lightweight and super comfortable to wear.
• Cheaper than Rothy’s. VIVAIA flats are $99 compared to Rothy’s $125 starting price for flats.
• Outlet pricing. Unlike Rothy’s products, which never go on sale, VIVAIA has an outlet section where you can snag their shoes at a discount.
• They offer discounts for teachers, students, medical professionals and first responders. The discount is 20% and you’ll need to apply and get approved through Sheer ID. Apply here.

Cons of VIVAIA

• Runs big. The Valencia pointed flat runs big. I recommend going half to one full size down. I am typically a street size 7 in women’s shoes and ordered a 38 in VIVAIA per their size chart. I should have ordered a 37 (US size 6.5) because the shoes ran big. If your feet are narrow like mine, go a full size down. I would not go off their size chart for reference (see below).

• • If you plan on wearing custom insoles with arch support, we recommend sizing down a half size or staying with your street size depending on the sole insert. I use arch inserts by Tread Labs and they’re SUPER comfortable and supportive.
  • They also run bigger than Rothy’s. You can see how much larger they are compared to Rothy’s in my photo below.
• Plastic packaging. While the boxes are made from 90% recycled materials, I received the shoes wrapped in plastic wrapping by FedEx, their shipping partner in the US.
• Manufactured and shipped from China. The shoes have to travel quite a ways away to get to US consumers. This means their carbon footprint is more significant.
• They do not offer free return shipping. You will need to pay shipping fees to return the shoes if they do not work out for you. Rothy’s gladly offers free returns if you are not satisfied with your purchase.

Related: Rothy’s Ballet Flat Review – Is it Worth it?

Should I Buy VIVAIA?

Most definitely! We still love our VIVAIA shoes. We would definitely size down one to two sizes for a better fit.

It’s cheaper than Rothy’s and still manages to divert 6 water bottles, so we are totally in for their mission to outfit women while diverting plastic waste on Mother Earth.

Some reasons why you may not want to buy VIVAIA is that they use plastic packaging during shipping and they run big. When I spoke with their representative, they said it was due to their shipping partner requirements which they do not have control over. I ended up writing a letter to FedEx to stop using plastic packaging. And you should too!

Related: How to Write a Letter to Ask a Company to Stop Using Plastic Packaging

I also received VIVAIA’s Doris sandals and absolutely love them! I did a little OOTD shoot on my Instagram below. Check it out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Alex Tran (@schimiggy)

Where to Buy VIVAIA

Shop for VIVAIA directly from their website. Check out their outlet section for limited styles and discounts on VIVAIA shoes.

Ready to buy a pair? Use this link to save 20% off your first order at VIVAIA. 

Alternatively, you can use code SCHIMIGGY to get 18% off all your VIVAIA purchases.

Don’t forget to join the VIVAIA Addicts group on Facebook! They offer Buy Sell and Trade (BST) opportunities for members.

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