Quick Links to Brands Featured in this Post
Christy Dawn Upcycled Leather Sandals
HempZone Hemp Sandals
Original Cork Shop Cork Sandals
Kiriko Sandals
Nomadic State of Mind Rope Sandals
Mohinders Sandals
Laadi Designs Handmade Sandals
Living in Hawai’i, sandals are my go-to everyday shoes. I love flip flops, strappy sandals, and more practical walking sandals too! Unfortunately, many sandals are made from plastic and the way they are made can negatively impact the environment or the people who make them. In my ongoing effort to build a more sustainable wardrobe, I always look for sandal brands that use quality materials and processes and treat their workers well.
Some brands make sandals out of recycled plastic bottles or vegan leather made from plastic. Although it’s good to reduce the amount of virgin plastic that gets used and support ways of removing plastic from the ocean, I personally don’t think that clothing is the best use of recycled plastic, because it wears out and gets thrown out and isn’t healthy for your skin.
There is also a carbon footprint associated with recycling materials, it requires a lot of energy and water, and that can equate to a larger environmental impact than a product just ending up in a landfill. I think that recycled plastic should be used in products or construction materials that will be used for a very long time.
The good news is, there are some amazing innovative materials such as apple leather, pineapple leather, and cactus leather that are made from plants. I’m so excited about all the new plant based leather bags and accessories coming out using these materials!
Eco friendly sandals can be stylish, comfortable, and trendy without being detrimental to the environment.
When searching for the perfect eco friendly sandal or flip flop for glorious warm weather days, it’s important to look at the materials used in their supply chain, what the company’s mission is, and how they manufacture.
Here are some of my favorite brands and styles!
Here are my 9 Favorite Brands for Eco Friendly Sandals!
Christy Dawn
Christy Dawn, a designer based in Los Angeles, California, has a handmade collection of comfortable sandals that celebrates Mother Earth and doesn’t harm her beauty. Her eco friendly sandals are made of sustainably-sourced, upcycled leather and promise to provide quality and longevity. The brand has exceptional design – I love the Monroe Sandal! They make both slide sandals and flip flops.
Check out Christy Dawn Sandals
HempZone
If you’re looking for a more organic look, one of my favorites is hemp sandal producer HempZone. HempZone is owned by shop owner Samragyi, and the shoes are all handmade in Nepal and they don’t use any synthetic materials or toxic chemicals.
The flip flops are made with the hemp plant and have natural rubber soles. The vegan sandals are offered in tie-dye and a variety of other fun colors!
Check out HempZone
Original Cork Shop
These natural cork flip flops are eco-friendly because cork trees do not need to be cut down to use cork in the production of goods. The ethical sandals are handmade in Portugal, extremely comfortable, and can even make a great gift.
Kiriko
Who doesn’t love a great socks with sandals duo? It’s so cozy and gives you the best of both worlds!
Kiriko makes sandals and with socks to match – they have a toe divider cut so the sandals easily slide between your toes. All Kiriko products are made out of recycled material and follow Kiriko’s mission to reduce any and all waste.
They use sustainable means to reduce mass consumption and mass waste by making their sandals out of recycled fabrics and materials that are durable at the same time.
Rainbow Sandals
Rainbow Sandals is a shoe brand that makes their footwear out of hemp, except they offer more neutral colors that can be paired with many different outfit styles. Rainbow Sandals gives back to a laundry list of foundations and organizations that can be found and explored on their website.
The sandals themselves are designed with patented adhesive, bonded nylon thread, and premium leather. This ensures they don’t break easily and just end up in a landfill.
If you’d like to trade in your pair when they’ve reached the end of their life, you can exchange them in store for a 10% off coupon for your next pair.
Check out Rainbow Sandals
Maurie + Eve
Maurie + Eve is working hard to become a fully sustainable brand, and they pride themselves on recording their journey towards it. They make their clothing and accessories with the climate crisis in mind. They are now 100% carbon neutral and working to source their materials in all sustainable ways possible. 1% of your purchase goes towards helping to accelerate environmental living as well.
Their cute Mountain Mamma sandals are made of vegan soft rope and made to last.
Nomadic State of Mind
The rope sandals from Nomadic State of Mind are so comfortable and come in a bunch of fun colors! The company employs artisans all over Nicaragua who manufacture the sandals, compensating them very well. They work to support the Fair Trade Agreement and improve communities in Nicaragua.
To prevent waste, they use their leftover sandal scraps to make rugs, bags, water bottle carriers, and more!
Check out Nomadic State of Mind
Mohinders
Mohinders sandals are essential to a sustainable wardrobe – they’re the eco-friendly sandal you never knew you needed!
The brand actively chooses to use lower-impact raw materials and reduce waste while also ensuring that the sandals age beautifully. They reduce their footprint by using tanned water buffalo leather, fewer synthetics, more biodegradable materials, natural dyes, and they even have organic and recycled packaging.
Check out Mohinders
Laadi Designs
Laadi Designs sustainable slides are handmade and naturally dyed by the sun in Oaxaca, Mexico. The have a wide range of shoes that come in such a fun variety of colors!
Produced in a family-owned, female-run workshop, each and every sandal is made with distinctive design and flare.
The efforts of this small business have provided reliable income to these families. They have improved the quality of life of the entire town of Oaxaca. Not to mention that a portion of each purchase of a new pair of sustainable sandals also contributes to supporting girls’ education around the world.
Check out Laadi Designs
Many different factors go into making eco friendly flip flops, so there are many things to consider when purchasing!
When a company uses eco-friendly materials and manufacturing methods while also ensuring that their sandals are made in a way that abides by fair labor standards, this is a win-win.
Sometimes, a sandal may not be made entirely of sustainable materials. Still, if the brand has defined environmental standards that they stick to, supports environmental efforts, reduce waste by making use of scraps, or reduce landfill waste that is a step in the right direction.
Disclosure: Every product is carefully selected by our editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.
