7 Best Eco-friendly Flip Flops Made with Recycled & Natural Materials
Plastic pollution in our waterways is a hot topic, with between 75 to 199 million tons believed to be present in our oceans. But it’s not just plastic bags, cups, and straws that make their way into the water.
You can find all manner of plastic detritus and debris, including flip flops. This should not come as a surprise, given that it’s typical beach attire, and many can probably attest to having lost a flip flop or two during a beach trip. Even if you don’t lose them, they hardly last beyond a season.
Made from plastic, polyurethane foam, and synthetic rubber this high demand yields tons of quickly and cheaply mass-produced flip flops.
In 2019, the global flip flop market was valued at almost $19 billion. Mass producing and consuming materials that are not environmentally friendly or sustainable is bad news for the environment.
This guide is going to focus on some more eco-conscious options and features a few eco-friendly flip flop brands to consider shopping.
This post does contain some affiliate links which means The Honest Consumer will receive a commission if you decided to purchase. Our commission is at no additional expense to you!
The Environmental Impact of Mass Produced Flip Flops
From Alaska, Hong Kong, and Australia, to Kenya, Thailand, and Hawai’i flip flops wash up on beaches and float in waters all over the world.
The plastics traditional flip flops are made from are derived from the fossil fuel petroleum, which means stripping the Earth of virgin resources and pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, contributing to human-induced climate change.
All this requires water and energy, as does the process of making and distributing the final product.
When it comes to the final product, consumers are offered a variety of differently colored flip flops, which means dyeing is required. These dyes often contain toxic chemicals.
Other toxic chemicals that can make their way into your flip flops include flame retardants because rubber is highly flammable.
This poses a risk to workers and the environment during manufacturing as they may be exposed to toxins, and continues at the end of the flip flops’ use, as the shoes lie around in landfills or float in waterways, leaching toxins into the environment.
End-of-use problems also include the breaking down of flip flops into microplastics that can be ingested by animals both in the water and on land. But it’s not just broken-down shoes that cause a problem.
Even whole, flip flops pose risks. Marine animals have been known to swallow them whole, and flip flops also form part of the plastic detritus littering coasts, blocking turtles from reaching beaches where they need to hatch.
What Eco-Friendly Materials to Look for When Shopping for Flip Flops
Helping the environment, and yourself, starts with investing in a pair of high-quality, durable, eco-friendly flip flops.
This may yield a higher price tag. Even though we should always be cognizant of what we leave behind on the beach, perhaps a heftier price tag will make us less careless.
And considering the variety of foot problems flip flops can cause, a well-made shoe will leave your feet better off too.
Many sustainable and eco-friendly materials have been used for flip flops as an alternative to plastics and synthetic rubber.
These include natural rubber, twine, wood, hemp, recycled tires, recycled plastic, and recycled wine corks.
There have also been attempts at 3-D printed flip flops. While these still use plastic, their efficient and customizable design, interchangeable uppers, and reusable footbeds can result in less waste.
Synthetic vs. Natural Materials
One material that’s really come to the fore for flip flops is algae. Made using oil extracted from algae as the basis for a polyurethane foam, the result is an eco-friendlier alternative to the fossil fuel-derived variety.
The great thing about algae is that it grows fast and can be directly harvested from waterways, maintaining a healthy ecosystem in the water as too much algae can affect water quality and habitats, while also depleting oxygen.
Algae has already been used as an alternative to plastics in surfboards. Flip flops seem like the natural next step.
The downside to these flip flops is that they can disintegrate easily if not well made.
Algae may be a biodegradable and non-toxic material, but the process to make them still requires water and energy and their short life cycle doesn’t seem to make it worthwhile.
If these alternatives need to be mass-produced because they need to be replaced more quickly, then environmental gains could be negated – not to mention that they still need to be blended with plastics, which means they are not 100% biodegradable.
Algae-based flip flops, however, require less energy and water to produce, so hopefully with further innovative thinking and experimentation, solutions can be found for making algae-based flip flops that can last beyond a season before being added to your compost.
The responsibility also lies with us in taking care of our shoes and not leaving them lying around on the beach.
7 Eco-Friendly Flip Flop Brands for Sustainable Style
If you're looking to purchase some sustainable flip flops with a lower carbon footprint, these socially responsible brands are using innovative materials, focusing on creating a transparent supply chain, and producing high quality flip flops.
Allbirds Flip Flops Made with Recycled Materials
Allbirds is all about the best in athleisure, specializing in shoes made from sustainable materials. Using Merino wool, sugarcane, TENCEL™, and castor bean oil, as well as repurposed synthetics such as recycled nylon and polyester, Allbirds makes sneakers, sandals, and slippers.
Sugarcane has been used to develop SweetFoam® for sandal soles, blended with carbon negative EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate, a stretchy polymer used in most flip flops).
The straps on their sugar zeffers and sugar sliders are made from 100% recycled polyester, and packaging is composed of 90% recycled cardboard.
Circular fashion is encouraged by inviting consumers to return gently used shoes which are then donated to Soles4Souls,or by browsing their resale platform ReRun, where you can shop for shoes that have been gently used or have slight imperfections. Allbirds sliders and sandals can be purchased between $40-$50.
Original Cork's Vegan Cork Flip Flops
Original Cork uses cork from their homeland of Portugal to create these patented 100% natural vegan flip flops.
These sandals are made from cork straps that come in different colors with a cork footbed and a rubber-cork sole.
This eco-friendly option features a minimalist earthy style due to the natural cork. This pair of flip flops can be purchased for $47-$49.
They are a great option if you're looking for flip flops made with more natural materials instead of synthetic materials.
Deux Mains Flip Flops Ethically Made with Upcycled & Local Materials
Deux Mains offers a stylish selection of sandals and flip flops made from upcycled rubber tires and responsibly sourced leather. Handcrafted in Haiti, collections are made in small batches to reduce waste.
Their women-owned and run factory operates on 100% solar power, and Deux Mains is particularly passionate about creating an ethical workplace, providing a liveable wage, health insurance, and access to education.
I actually had the pleasure of visiting their factory when I was in Haiti and they're doing amazing work!
Their shoes are incredibly high quality too! Their flip flops can be purchased at $55.
Indosole’s Recycled Flip Flops
Specializing in recycled footwear since 2009, Indosole uses high-quality natural and recycled materials sourced in Indonesia to create their line of eco-friendly flip flops.
Indosoles are vegan and cruelty-free. Made with natural rubber, recycled tires for the soles, and their custom-made ENVRO fiber for the straps, their footwear is durable and waterproof.
The use of natural dyes means no toxic run-off into the environment and they are a certified B corporation, ensuring high standards of social and environmental responsibility.
Indosole features men’s, women’s, and kid’s flip flops ranging from $20-$70 and featuring a wide range of colors and styles.
Nae's Vegan Flip Flops & Sandals
Piñatex, cork, AppleSkin, and recycled PET are just some of the sustainable materials that this vegan brand uses.
Making 100% vegan sneakers and sandals, Nae is passionate about keeping its products cruelty-free. It’s even what their name stands for: No Animal Exploitation.
Also passionate about the environment, their recyclable packaging includes recycled cardboard boxes and recycled kraft wrapping paper.
Manufacturing in Portugal and Spain, Nae is Standard 100 OEKO-TEX® certified, ensuring the absence of toxic chemicals. Nae's sandals range from $42-$100.
Sole Recycled Cork Flip Flops
A Canadian company founded in 2001, Sole combines inspired design with orthotic knowledge to develop footwear that provides comfort and support.
Sole aims to have the least possible impact on the environment, using eco materials like recycled cork. You can even aid them in this goal by recycling your corks through ReCork.
The other sustainable, eco-friendly material used for Sole’s flip flops is Bloom Algae Foam. This is a high performance foam made from algae that’s harvested from harmful blooms, thus restoring balance to natural ecosystems.
They also offer a preordering system, Made For You, that allows them to manage demand for their products, thereby cutting down on waste. This sustainable brand features both men's and women's flip flops ranging from $55-$95.
Brave Soles Upcycled Tire Flip Flops Made with Fair Trade Practices
Brave Soles is a socially responsible shoe company that believes the people who make their shoes are just as important as the people who buy them.
Brave Soles partners with local artisans across the North Coast of the Dominican Republic to supply all items - from the shoes we make to the bags they are delivered in.
The shoes are ethically made by skilled artisans who are paid fair wages. Brave Soles is currently working towards using 100% upcycled materials and carbon neutrality through carbon offsets.
Brave Souls flip flops feature handcrafted tire soles made from upcycled tires sourced in the Dominican Republic and feature local sourced responsible leather too. They carry both men's and women's flip flops which can be purchased for $55-$70.
Tips for Shopping for New Flip Flops
When you're searching for a new pair of flip flops there is a lot to think about! Here are a few tips!
If you're shopping online be sure to compare the size charts as some brands sizing is different
Decide if you want a sustainable flip flop made with recycled materials or a natural & renewable resource
If you're shopping online be sure to read the reviews as this can help determine if the flip flops are crafted to last
Invest in quality shoes. It's more sustainable to purchase a high quality pair of shoes than a cheap pair you are going to have to replace in a year or less
On top of considering the sustainable materials think about where the shoe was made and the carbon footprint of importing materials and the finished product. Sometimes shopping locally can be more sustainable. Consider checking out your local craft fairs and meeting some local makers.
Ask if the makers were paid a living wage. Supporting brands with fair trade practices is always important.
If you're looking for more affordable flip flops that are also sustainable consider shopping second hand!
Sometimes you can even find shoes that are new with the tags still on them!
Hopefully this guide helped you discover some shoe brands with sustainable practices and find your perfect pair of eco-friendly flip-flops for the warmer weather.
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