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15 of the best white sneakers for men, according to a sneaker collector
The Nike Air Force 1 debuted in 1982 as the brand's premier basketball sneaker. It featured a high-top construction and all of the performance technology that players of the time could ask for. Durable leather uppers, Air units in the soles, a breathable toe box, and plenty of support with added ankle straps.
By 1983, Nike had discontinued the silhouette in preparation for a new sneaker before realizing it was a massive hit in cities like New York and Baltimore — and customers were not happy about its disappearance from shelves. After many customer complaints, a group of store owners from the Baltimore area flew to Nike headquarters in Oregon to pitch directly to Nike CEO Phil Knight on the Air Force 1's return.
The following year, Nike started a "Color of the Month" series, where a new color would be released every month in select stores. Fast-forward to present day, the Air Force 1 has been made in nearly every color, pattern, and theme imaginable, but the all-white pairs are still some of the most popular.
The sneaker now known as the Stan Smith dates back to the early 1960s, when Adidas designed a shoe for French tennis player Robert Haillet. It wasn't until Haillet's retirement in 1971 that the sneaker took on the name and likeness of then-number one ranked tennis star, Stan Smith.
In its 6o years of production (50 years officially as the Stan Smith), the sneaker has become one of Adidas' bestselling and its single longest-lasting styles.
You won't see them on the tennis court today, but you will see them worn by a variety of people with different fashion styles.
While the green-accented pair is my personal favorite because it's true-to-the-original design, you can find plenty of other mostly white variations.
If the Stan Smith isn't the most recognizable Adidas sneaker of all time, then it has to be the Superstar. Also known as the Shell Toe, the iconic silhouette was originally released in 1969 as a basketball shoe.
Although it was designed for performance, it became revered for its lifestyle wearability in the 1980s. The shoe gained immense popularity when it was famously worn by the hip-hop group RUN DMC. The group signed a $1 million endorsement deal and promoted the brand in a handful of songs, with "My Adidas" being the most notable.
Whether you plan on wearing them with a matching Adidas tracksuit or your own favorite pieces, the Adidas Superstar is a timeless sneaker that works with all types of fashion.
The Converse Chuck 70 is essentially a new and improved version of the Converse Chuck Taylor that keeps all of the old school and vintage feel of the original. The key differences include extra cushioning on the insoles, more durable Canvas, raised rubber foxing around the perimeter of the shoe, a smaller rubber toe cap, and additional stitching on the medial sides of the shoe.
Overall, the changes make for a better-looking and more wearable shoe. Compared to the century-old technology found on the original Chuck Taylor, the Chuck 70s are leaps and bounds ahead in the comfort department. Your feet will thank you for spending a little bit more on the Chuck 70s.
Just like all Converse, you'll find a wide assortment of colors, but white is a fan favorite. The bright white canvas upper is contrasted by the Chuck 70's standard off-white-colored tooling. It's a nice touch that gives the shoes a vintage-aged appearance.
Founded in 2015 by New Zealand native Tim Brown and San Francisco-based engineer and renewables expert Joey Zwillinger, Allbirds is a newcomer to the footwear industry, but its sustainable approach to design has catapulted it to great popularity.
The brand's first and most popular sneaker, the Wool Runner, is made out of ethically and sustainably sourced merino wool. Not only is the material one that socially conscious buyers can stand behind, but it also lends itself well to quality footwear. Merino wool is naturally temperature regulating, moisture-wicking, anti-microbial, odor-resistant, and last but not least, comfortable.
Unlike thick leather sneakers that can be bulky and hard to break in or thin canvas shoes with no support, Allbirds provide a fit that's comfortable straight out of the box. It's almost like wearing your favorite house slippers.
Allbirds' sustainability efforts don't end with merino wool. Over the years, the brand has figured out ways to incorporate other renewable and recycled materials into its products.
The Allbirds Tree Runner is basically a more breathable version of the original Wool Runner. Rather than being made of wool, the Tree Runner features a mesh-like upper that's made from a repurposed eucalyptus pulp.
The overall aesthetic of the Tree Runner is much different than most classic sneaker styles, but the trade off is a simple design that's incredibly easy to clean. Simply toss them in the wash to keep them clean. And if you're going for the white pair, that's a major benefit.
Rothy's has been making sustainable footwear for some time now, but only recently have they expanded their catalog to include men's styles. Just like the brand's other designs, the RS01 Sneaker is made from a variety of recycled, renewable, or naturally sourced materials with recycled plastic uppers being the most predominant.
The RS01 Sneaker features a classic low-top look with cut-and-sewn panels, but is fully modern. The recycled knit material is stretchy, the insoles are super thick and plush, and the overall design is very premium. You'd have no idea these were once plastic water bottles if sustainability wasn't such a big part of Rothy's branding.
Founded by Nolan Walsh, the creator of Thursday Boot Company, Nothing New is a startup that makes casual, affordable, and sustainable sneakers.
As the name suggests, Nothing New sneakers don't use any new materials in the production process. The sneakers are made using 100% post-consumer recycled plastic and other materials like recycled cotton, fishing nets, rubber, and cork.
Each pair is made from roughly 5.6 plastic bottles and saves 160 gallons of water compared to traditional cotton canvas sneakers.
The overall design is similar to that of a Converse Chuck Taylor, which is a good thing. You'll be able to style them with everything in your closet and you'll never have to worry about them going out of style.
This is a great choice if you're going for a classic sneaker look, but want a shoe that won't harm the environment and that will provide additional comfort.
Originally released in 1977 as Vans #98, the Vans Slip-On started out as a cult favorite among skateboarders and BMX bikers, but quickly spread across Southern California — and later to the rest of the world.
The low-top silhouette features a canvas upper, padded insoles and ankle collars, vulcanized outsoles, and as the name suggests, a slip-on fit. Collectively, the design is durable, flexible, and shock absorbing, which met all the needs of skaters at the time. More than 40 years later, many people (skaters included) still faithfully wear the Vans Slip-Ons, but it's largely due to the style and not the now-outdated performance.
The checkerboard pattern might be the most popular option, but if you're going for a simple white color, you can choose between white, which has a cream undertone, and true white, which is super bright and clean.
Although the Everlane Forever Slip-On is strikingly similar to the Vans Slip-On (and most other slip-ons for that matter), the shoe is unique in its own way.
Designed to be sustainable for the environment and timeless for your wardrobe, the Forever Slip-on uses a 100% organic cotton upper and natural rubber midsoles. The insoles are plush, providing ample comfort for long wears.
The white pair in particular is fitted with an off-white midsole, giving the shoes a slightly aged effect.
Allbirds really are that good, and that's why there are so many pairs throughout this list. The brand perfected its use of materials and applied it to a handful of new silhouettes. If you want all of the benefits of the original Wool Runners (natural temperature regulation, odor resistance, and sweat absorption), but in the form of a more laid back Slip-on, the Wool Loungers are for you.
The Allbirds Wool Loungers are made from the same itch-free merino wool found on other Allbirds sneakers and designed to be true slip-ons. You'll be able to slip your feet in and go, without using your hands.
Founded in 2014 by Ryan Babenzien and footwear designer Jon Buscemi in Brooklyn, Greats is intended to fill the void in between cheap, almost replenishable footwear and more expensive luxury options your wallet can only afford once.
With a striking resemblance to the Common Projects Achilles Low, a shoe that usually sells for $400, the Greats Royale is also a clean and simple sneaker design — and truth be told, it's made in the exact same factory. That's right, this $179 premium Italian leather dress shoe is made in the same place as some people's go-to choice for a minimalistic white leather sneaker.
You can expect premium quality, fine attention to detail on the cut-and-sewn panels, and standard cushioned midsoles. The simple aesthetic makes them super easy to style and with how much you'll end up wearing them, you won't feel bad about beating up such expensive sneakers.
Truth be told, there are a ton of minimalistic white leather sneakers on the market, and they're all more or less the same thing. The minor differences in branding or price might sway you one way or another, but if you're looking for something that truly stands out, Wolf & Shepherd is the winner.
Wolf & Shepherd stands out from its counterparts because of its superb comfort technology. The brand made a name for itself by having dress shoes with sneaker-like comfort — and now these sneakers have performance sneaker-like comfort.
The insole features three layers of memory foam with one layer extending to the arch of your foot. With added arch support — something most dress sneakers skip out on — the Glider Sneaker is easily the most comfortable iteration of a classic white leather low-top. They're perfect for people that want to look casual, but demand sporty comfort for commuting and living on the go.
At $195, the Glider is more expensive than other similar options, but the increased comfort makes them well worth it, especially if you hate the process of breaking shoes in to achieve some level of comfort.
Read our full review of the Wolf & Shepherd Glider Sneaker here.
When the Adidas Ultra Boost originally released in 2015, it undoubtedly shook up the sneaker industry. It wasn't the first Adidas sneaker to include Boost technology, but it was the first to utilize its full potential.
The innovative runner features a Primeknit upper, full-length Boost midsoles, plastic heel cups and cages for support, and Continental rubber soles.
Unlike any other cushioning system ever made, Boost is made up of a bunch of tiny foam pellets that were blown up and fused together. The cloud-like material was intended to return energy to the wearer's feet, allowing them to comfortably run longer distances, but it also proved to be a hit among general comfort seekers and sneaker collectors.
Over the years, Adidas has made a handful of colorways, but a clean white pair will always look good.
When the Nike Air VaporMax debuted in 2017, it was a major accomplishment for the Swoosh. The all-new design featured more Air technology than any other Nike sneaker ever created.
Designed to be a lean running shoe, the Nike Air VaporMax does away with everything that doesn't help make it fast or comfortable. The Flyknit upper sits directly on top of the full-length Air unit, which makes it light and super responsive for runners.
The latest version of the silhouette, the VaporMax 2021 FK improves on the already great design. It uses 40% recycled materials, features a recycled plastic heel cup for stability, and a redesigned outsole.
Since the outsole isn't fully planted on the ground, walking in them does take some getting used to, but after a few wears, you'll appreciate the lightweight and springy feel.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected].