Ethical and Sustainable Sandals: 11 of My Favorite Brands
Sandal season is easily my favorite.
I grew up in Florida, and more often than not, I was barefoot. But the next best thing to barefoot is wearing sandals.
As I’ve snaked my way further north over the last decade, my one regret is fewer days to wear my favorite shoes.
Sustainability and Ethics of Sandals
Sandals, like all shoes, can be made with a variety of materials, from leather to cork to plastic. Items like flip flops are often made of foam, which is typically polyurethane (PU), a synthetic material.
They are also often produced rather cheaply as a tourist or trend item, which does not bode well for the working conditions of the makers.
These are my top picks for brands that make thoughtful, ethical sandals with traceable (and often biodegradable) materials. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission on sales at no expense to you.
1 | Nisolo
Traditional and minimal leather goods with transparent wages.
2 | Fortress
Classic-with-a-twist luxury leather goods with traceable leather.
3 | Po-zu
European-made, British-designed, with plenty of vegan options.
4 | Avarcas
Classic Spanish “pons” for a more sophisticted look.
5 | Birkenstock
Uber comfy, German made sandals.
6 | Everlane
Sporty and dressy options in Italian leather, recycled materials, and more.
7 | Deux Mains
Fair trade sandals that are fun and made with recycled rubber from car tires!
8 | Teva
Teva has great sustainability initiatives, and the comfort and versatility can’t be beat.
9 | Melissa
Recyclable jelly sandals in a ton of styles…and they’re scented.
10 | OESH
3-D printed in Charlottesville, Virginia with local materials.
11 | Adelante
Beautiful, made-to-order, classic leather shoes.
Leah Wise
Leah Wise is the founder of StyleWise Blog. She has been writing, speaking, and consulting on sustainable fashion, the fair trade and secondhand supply chain, and digital marketing for over ten years. An Episcopal priest, Leah holds a B.A. in Religion from Florida State University and an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School. When not working, you can find her looking for treasures at the thrift store.