There’s never been a better selection of eco-friendly flip flops. From styles made with recycled plastic to hemp, natural rubber, and other sustainable materials, you’ll be sure to find some that fit your style and sensibilities. Plus, you can ditch the leather because these materials are also 100% vegan.
If we could wear flip flops every day, we probably would. Why? Because flip flops feel like sunshine, warm weather, the beach, and relaxation. But if you’re wearing flip flops that are made with materials that aren’t Earth- or animal-friendly – like plastic, certain types of foam, suede, or leather – it erodes their feel-good vibe.
Flip flops transcend cultures, as people all over the world wear them. In fact, the earliest record we have of a flip flop-style sandal was the type worn by the ancient Egyptians in 1500 BC. Yet the modern flip flops that we all know and love today were probably inspired by the Japanese zōri, which American soldiers brought back to the U.S. after World War II.
So, if you’re getting ready for warm weather, going on vacation, or just need some comfy, casual sandals, look no further. You’ve come to the right place to find the best brands that are making eco-friendly, recycled, and vegan flip flops.
1. Indosole Recycled Flops
Indosole is a certified B Corporation, which means it’s a for-profit company that is certified by the nonprofit B Lab for maintaining rigorous social and environmental standards. Indosole is helping to solve a significant environmental problem by repurposing some of the billions of discarded tires that would otherwise pollute important places, like riverways, other natural habitats, and even cities, into useful footwear. Their socially conscious vegan flip flops are super popular with UniGuide visitors, so be sure to check out a pair for yourself!
2. Vegan Cork and Recycled Polyester Flip Flops by SOLÉ
SOLÉ takes corporate social responsibility and environmental stewardship seriously, which led them to using cork, an all-natural and sustainable material, in their vegan and eco-friendly sandals. Plus, they incorporate other Earth-friendly materials, like hemp and recycled polyester, into their designs. SOLÉ focuses on reducing CO2 by running a business that is carbon negative. They achieve this by planting cork trees, harvesting the bark, recycling wine corks, and purchasing carbon offsets.
3. Crevo Men’s Faux Suede and Hemp Flip Flops
With their frayed hemp straps, Crevo’s flip flops are all about relaxing and feeling good.
4. All-Natural Cork Flip Flops
Cork is a superstar sustainable material because when cork bark is harvested, it does not harm the tree. In fact, the harvesting process enable the cork tree to absorb more CO2 from the atmosphere. Plus, cork forests are home to over 13,000 species of plants, animals, and insects that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. So, purchasing cork products helps to ensure cork forests are not cut down. Cork is also a perfect material for flip flops because it’s durable and naturally anti-microbial. These all-natural cork flip flops, by Original Cork Shop, come in a variety of fun colors.
5. Rider Recycled Vegan Flip Flops
6. Gumbies Recycled Rubber and Jute Sole Flip Flops
These flip flops have their own unique look! Gumbies Founder Michel Maurer is a freedom-loving adventurer who never wanted to be boxed in to a traditional way of living. Gumbies’ design reflects that philosophy. Maurer tinkered with different materials to be used in his sandals, and eventually settled on a sole made with recycled rubber, cut into little squares, and woven together with jute. The company puts an emphasis on using the “most practical, natural, recycled, and planet friendly materials possible.”
7. Bumpers Massaging Flip Flops
Theses eco-friendly flip flops will massage your feet while being gentle on the planet. They’re made with natural and recycled rubber. Plus, Bumpers has a zero waste production process, so all scraps are sent back to their rubber factory to be recycled and made into the next pair of massaging flip flops. If you’re into reflexology, or just super happy feet, these may be your Holy Grail of flip flops. But be warned: they come in so many fun color combos, it’s going to be hard to choose.
8. Sanuk Vegan Recycled Yoga Flip Flops
Owned by Deckers, the Sanuk brand has a variety of shoes made that are made with vegan and natural fibers. Deckers carries some non-vegan brands, but they do put out an annual corporate social responsibility report and focus on worker safety along their supply chains.
9. Okabashi Recycled and Recyclable Flip Flops
Made in the USA, Okabashi’s sandals contain 20% recycled materials. Okabashi has their own recycling program – when you’re done with your flip flops, you can mail them back and Okabashi will use the materials to make more of their products.
10. Feelgoodz Natural Rubber, Non-Toxic Flip Flops
Made with natural rubber, Feelgoodz sandals are colorful and comfortable. They also use all-natural dyes and non-toxic ink. You’ll find a variety of colors at a great price point.
Price: $20.00 – $30.00
11. Fair Trade Flip Flops by OLLI
OLLI makes Fair Trade flip flops with natural rubber sourced in Sri Lanka. The company was founded by two sisters, The Olli Sisters. They found the chemicals that are used in traditional flip flops to be unacceptable. So, they set out to make a better flip flop with natural rubber, but soon realized the treatment of workers on many rubber plantations was also not acceptable. The result of their innate sense of decency was to create these socially conscious, Fair Trade flip flops (plus other cool, Fair Trade products.)
12. Waves 100% Natural Rubber Flip Flops
Waves makes flip flops for men and women with 100% natural rubber.
13. Rainbow Sandals Hemp Flip Flops
San Clemente, California-based Rainbow Sandals has a line of hemp flip flops that have a natural aesthetic. Rainbow Sandals does make some leather versions, so be sure to check the product details. But I salute them for giving to a number of charities, with a special emphasis on education. I can’t argue with that! They offer men’s and women’s styles, and their hemp sandals comes in natural, brown, and black.
Price: $45.99
14. Recycled Tire Tread Sandals
Made in Tanzania, these sturdy sandals have their own “treadmark” because the soles are made with reclaimed car and motorcycled tires.
15. Classic Tatami Sandals
These sandals are probably the closest modern day flip flops to the original Japanese zōri sandals mentioned at the beginning of this post. Wish cloth straps and grass mat-based soles, they’re comfy and casual. (Be sure to read the products details before you buy as some manufacturers make these with synthetic materials instead of real grass.)
16. Hemp Flip Flops
A variety of importers offer eco-friendly hemp flip flops from Nepal, which is one of the world’s premier hemp-growing regions. These natural, eco-friendly flip flops get more comfortable with wear and they come in a variety of colors and designs, including tie dyed. To see more styles, visit my post on hemp sandals and shoes. And if you’re looking for more hemp styles, check out my posts on hemp clothing and hemp hats. Enjoy!
If you’re looking for a vegan sandal that’s a bit more adventure-ready, check out this post:
Vegan Sport Sandals for Men and Women
Thank you for clarifying this. I will update the post!
Hi Kristen,
Thanks for this round up of some more ethical thinking brands. I’ve gone ahead and searched out the website links for the brands I like the look of and will order direct with them. I’m pretty sure that most people who are interested in the ethical profile of a company and their production methods will, like me, prefer not to go via the amazon route to purchase. I’d much rather skip the mighty giant monolith that is Amazon and go direct to the company.
Thanks for your message, Claire. As consumers, we hold all the power and I respect your decision to shop in places that you believe in. As one person running this website, I don’t have the bandwidth to manage individual relationships with ever vendor and brand I promote. Amazon makes it possible for me to present a wide array of products from brands that are trying to do things the right way. Amazon is far from perfect. For example, I wish they offset their CO2 emissions from shipping as Etsy does, and I wish they paid their lower-wage workers more. However, they do a lot of great things in the world, like reliably delivering food and other products to people in quarantine and in remote locations. They also employ thousands and thousands of people. In addition, they give countless small businesses and entrepreneurs a platform to sell their wares and earn a living. I always encourage people who don’t like Amazon to reach out to them directly on social media.
Hey Kristen, thanks to bringing eco-friendly footwear to my attention. I have just found Waves Flip Flops here in the UK, 100% natural rubber from Sri Lanka so polyurethane free and their website says that they are fair trade so have just bought a pair. Just done my little bit this year for the oceans!
Love it! Flip flops are admittedly my favorite kind of shoes. Waiting for the weather to warm up a bit (and of course for the world to heal from COVID-19 :o( so we can all start going out into the sunshine again) to start wearing mine. Thanks for writing. Have a good one!