IT'S not every day you discover a pair of fashionable shoes made from recycled bottle tops, denim or even hemp.
To reflect two of her passions in life, Sara Owen has launched a business selling shoes that are 100 per cent vegan.
This is where the unique materials come in.
The Patrington entrepreneur has been a vegan for the past seven years and, according to the 25-year-old, the products she sells are for "ladies who care about animals and don't want to wear them".
Sara said: "It's not just about what you eat. It is about what you are wearing too – it all comes from the same place.
"I absolutely love shoes, so I decided to start the website. I couldn't find any environmentally friendly shoes that were pretty.
"I've got sparkly shoes, satin ones, furry leopard print ones, a bit of everything, and everything is ethically sourced. Animals don't suffer."
The online business – www.veganshoes.co.uk – has a variety of women's shoes, sourced from across Europe, and they are all handmade.
In line with taking a different approach to fashion than most, Sara's shoes are also made using vegan-friendly glue.
She said: "The glue used to make shoes is usually created from boiled-down animal bones but the glue used to make the shoes in my business is a rubber and water-based solution and is 100 per cent animal-free.
"I can guarantee the shoes are 100 per cent vegan."
The entrepreneur, who has been interested in fashion since she was young, also sells a range of vegan belts and purses.
For Sara, the business is all about trying to make a difference
She has had a number of different jobs over the past few years but say she has now found something she really believes in.
Sara said: "I never felt like I was making a difference in any of my previous roles.
"I knew I needed to find something different to do, and this was it.
"The business is going really well and heading in the right direction.
"There's a lot of people interested in the idea and I feel like I am doing something I believe in and selling a product I believe in.
"Even if just one person buys a pair, I still feel happy because I am raising awareness.
"A big part of the business is raising awareness."
Sara is now making plans to start selling more labels and get the next stage of her business going.
She is set to launch her own designs and also begin selling a range of vegan men's shoes and baby shoes.
Sara said: "I am really looking forward to designing my own shoes.
"It will be an important stage for my business.
"I can see the business growing and growing."
