11 BEST SUSTAINABLE SANDALS TO SLIDE INTO ECO-FRIENDLY LIVING 

Share & save for later!

This blog post is all about the best sustainable sandals! 

A good pair of sandals is a must-have in the summer.

Whether we’re lounging on the beach, walking through the city, or spending time in nature, sandals are the best shoes we can wear to avoid being too hot. 

Unfortunately, not all sandals are created equal: most of them aren’t built to last and are produced with unsustainable materials.

Our feet and the planet deserve better! 

If you’re looking for high-quality, eco-friendly sandals, you’re in the right place. 

In this article, I’ve rounded up the 11 best sustainable sandals so you can slide into eco-friendly living this summer! 

All these brands have great collections for women, but you’ll also find options for men and kids.

Plus, there’s something for every budget!

This blog post contains affiliate links which means that if you buy something through such links, I will get a small commission without any extra cost for you. Some of the products were also gifted (by NAE Vegan Shoes & CANO). Please read my Disclosure for more details.

Why buy eco-friendly, sustainable sandals this summer? 

Most sandals on the market are made from unsustainable materials, usually from some kind of plastic.

Many are produced from polyurethane, EVA, PVC, synthetic foams, and rubber, all of which come with negative environmental impacts. 

Those synthetic materials are very energy-intensive to produce, and using them supports the oil industry, which massively contributes to climate change and pollution.

They’re also not biodegradable and are thrown in landfills at the end of their lives (where they’ll stay for centuries). 

Not only that, but conventional sandals are often mass-produced under unethical working conditions and with little to no regard for the environment and workers’ well-being. 

They’re also not made to last, meaning that we need to replace them at least every few seasons, if not more regularly.

This contributes to the global waste crisis we are currently facing! 

Another thing to consider is that most sandals are assembled using toxic glues. 

This is problematic because not only are these glues toxic to humans and the planet, but the fact that different materials are glued together also makes the sandals almost impossible to recycle. 

Leather sandals are usually of much better quality and tend to last a lot longer than their plastic counterparts.

However, leather is far from being sustainable for different reasons!

For instance, raising cattle generates a lot of greenhouse gas emissions (especially methane), uses huge quantities of water, and contributes to deforestation. 

Tanning hides also involves using toxic chemicals, which can negatively impact the workers’ health and the environment.

Not to mention all the unethical issues of producing leather! 

Thankfully, we can now easily find eco-friendly sandals, including ones made of leather or synthetic materials. 

The brands I highlight in this article use sustainable materials and make sure to implement practices that are much more ethical and gentle on the planet!

Read more: Why you should quit fast fashion (& how to do it)

What should you look for when shopping for sustainable sandals? 

Choosing eco-friendly materials is key if you want more sustainable sandals.

Avoid buying footwear made with virgin plastic or conventional leather if possible. 

Instead, buy sandals made from recycled materials such as recycled plastic or recycled rubber.

You’ll even find brands that use recycled tires to make some of their shoes! 

Many conscious brands also use bio-based materials like sugarcane-based EVA as well as natural materials such as cork, responsibly sourced natural rubber, or raffia. 

I also highly recommend sandals made from deadstock materials or food waste like apple leather and piñatex!

Leather sandals can be a sustainable option if you opt for pairs made from vegetable-tanned leather or regenerated leather.

Try to also support brands that work with tanneries certified by the Leather Working Group and that use ethical ranching methods. 

Besides the materials, make sure to buy sandals that are built to last and that can be potentially repaired. 

I also like supporting brands that are transparent about their supply chain and provide their workers with fair wages and safe working conditions. 

To ensure you’re buying from a sustainable company, you may want to look for brands carrying third-party certifications such as Fair Trade, B Corp, or Climate-Neutral. 

Try to also purchase from brands that have a recycling program, work with artisans, and support nonprofits. 

Read more: How to make your wardrobe more sustainable? 

11 best sustainable sandals to slide into eco-friendly living  

1. Beek

For: Women

Materials: Vegetable-Tanned Leather / Suede

Beek is a sustainable footwear brand with a large selection of eco-friendly leather sandals.

It has everything from slip-on slides and flip flops to heeled models and sandals with back straps or toe rings. 

All these sandals are handmade from high-quality, vegetable-tanned leather or suede, which is sourced as a byproduct of the meat industry and comes from tanneries that are gold-certified by the Leather Working Group. 

The brand’s sandals also feature molded arch support, making them super comfortable, and have a slim feminine sole shape.

Not to mention that there are lots of styles and colors available!

What’s more, Beek ships its products using recycled packaging and, for every pair of shoes sold, it donates one day’s worth of meals to three children. 

2. Vivaia

For: Women 

Materials: Recycled Plastic Bottles, Sugarcane EVA, Natural Rubber, Rice Husks, Herbal Insoles

Vivaia offers various styles of sandals for women, including platform sandals, slides, pieces with back and ankle straps, sports sandals, as well as elegant pieces with heels of different sizes. 

Most are sold in a wide range of colors, and you can even get some of them in a cool pattern for a more unique look! 

The brand makes all its shoes from recycled plastic bottles using a 3D knit technology that helps reduce waste in the production process by over 30%. 

It also uses other eco-friendly materials like sugarcane EVA, natural rubber, rice husks, and herbal insoles. 

You’ll like that most of these sandals are designed with padded insoles and anti-slip outsoles, and are very lightweight. 

Plus, Vivaia regularly donates money and shoes to different charities around the world! 

3. Native Shoes

For: Women, Men, Kids, Babies 

Materials: EVA, Sugarcane-Based Material

Native Shoes has great environmentally friendly sandals for each member of the family.

Women and men can buy cushioned, water-friendly slides and flip flops, which you can get in a few different colors. 

These are very lightweight and odor-resistant, and are designed for comfort from day one (there’s little to no break-in period!).

They’re also made to be more flexible and adapt to a wide range of foot sizes and shapes. 

For your kids, you’ll find a pair of sandals with adjustable straps on top and at the back and a grippy tread to keep your little ones’ feet secure.

These are available for babies and toddlers as well as for bigger kids up to 12 years old. 

Native Shoes makes its sandals from a proprietary material crafted from EVA and a sugarcane-based material. 

The brand also has a recycling program, meaning that you can send back your worn-out Native sandals at the end of their lives, and they’ll turn them into brand-new pairs! 

4. NAE Vegan Shoes (15% off with code GWLNAE15)

For: Women & Men

Materials: Apple Leather, Cork, Piñatex, OEKO-TEX Microfiber, Natural Rubber, Recycled Tires 

NAE Vegan Shoes is a sustainable footwear brand selling vegan leather sandals for both women and men. 

It has different unisex styles, including Birkenstock-like slides, slip-ons with a criss-cross design, and models with a back strap. 

The women’s collection is particularly impressive, with lots of gorgeous pieces featuring either flat soles or heels. 

I have the OLGA sandals (gifted), a pair featuring two straps at the front and two others at the back that elegantly grip the foot.

I’ve already worn them quite a lot in the past month, and I find them incredibly comfortable and chic!

NAE Vegan Shoes handcrafts all its sandals in Portugal using sustainable materials like apple leather (made from the waste of the apple juice industry), cork, piñatex (made from pineapple leaves), or OEKO-TEX certified microfiber. 

Some of the outsoles are even crafted from recycled tires! 

Use the code GWLNAE15 for 15% off.

5. Alohas

For: Women 

Materials: Leather, Suede, Cord, Rubber

Alohas’ sandal collection consists of a mix of trendy silhouettes and timeless designs. 

The brand has lots of options to choose from, including Birkenstock-style slides, both flat and heeled sandals with an elegant shape, lace-up pieces, models made with braided cords allowing for versatile wrapping around the calf or ankle, and many more. 

Almost all of them are made from sustainably sourced leather or suede and crafted by local artisans in Spain and Portugal. 

Alohas also produces only what people are ordering, meaning that there is no overproduction or waste of materials!

And it prioritizes ethical and sustainable manufacturing throughout its supply chain.

6. Quince

For: Women 

Materials: Leather, Suede, Recycled Polyester, Cork, EVA, Rubber

Looking for high-quality leather sandals that are sustainably made and affordable all at the same time?

Check out Quince!

This brand has different styles of sandals that can take you from casual settings to formal events.

For a laid-back vibe, you can choose its Birkenstock-like slides, fisherman sandals, or its platform shoes.

If you want a more elevated look, pick from some of its elegant heeled sandals! 

Quince makes its uppers from nappa leather, Italian leather, or recycled polyester, and all the leather it uses is tanned in a Leather Working Group-certified tannery. 

These sandals also provide cushioned arch support, making them great to wear all day long.

Plus, they’re produced in BSCI-certified factories, which have taken steps to improve working conditions in their supply chains. 

7. CANO (€10 off with code GREENWITHLESS)

For: Women & Men 

Materials: Vegetable-Tanned Leather 

CANO combines age-old craftsmanship techniques with a modern production process to create high-quality sandals for both men and women. 

Most of them are typical Mexican huarache sandals, which are handcrafted by artisans in small family-owned workshops in Mexico.

They’re made from vegetable-tanned leather following a 200-year-old method: one pair can take up to four hours for the weaving process alone! 

CANO’s sandals are available in different styles, including slip-on mules and minimalist slides with a small heel. 

I have the CARLA model (gifted), and I am very impressed with the quality and how well-made they are!

I wore them almost every day on my recent two-week vacation, and they’re very comfortable to walk with. 

The brand’s sandals are sustainably made and come in plastic-free, FSC-certified packaging.

And CANO’s logistic partner for shipping orders outside Germany is 100% carbon-neutral! 

Use the code GREENWITHLESS for €10 off. 

8. Matisse

For: Women 

Materials: Vegan Leather, Leather, Raffia 

Matisse creates fashion-forward shoes with a heavy focus on meticulous craftsmanship, comfort, and style.

Its huge sandal collection features pieces that are perfect for relaxing on the beach, looking chic at a formal event, and everything in between. 

You’ll be able to choose from various open and closed-toe sandals, flip flops, platform shoes, fisherman models, and flat or heeled slides.

Many of them have a timeless classic design, while there are also plenty of more unique options with special details such as animal prints, ankle wrap ties, shell or flower embellishments, bows, and gingham patterns. 

Matisse works with family-owned factories and mostly makes its sandals from minimally processed leather, vegan leather, and raffia.

It also uses recycled packaging and vegan glue, and it regularly repurposes leather scraps into new designs to reduce waste! 

9. Reformation

For: Women

Materials: Leather, Sustainable Silk Alternative, Deadstock Fabric, Recycled Polyester

Whether you’re looking for occasion sandals with a high, medium, or low heel, platform shoes, or flat sandals that can take you from the beach to the city, Reformation truly has it all! 

Most of them are made in Brazil from leather sourced from tanneries that are certified gold or silver by the Leather Working Group.

The others are crafted from vegetable-tanned or chromium-free leather, recycled polyester, or deadstock fabrics that would otherwise end up in a landfill. 

Reformation even made some of them from its own sustainable silk alternative, which is produced from wood pulp and repurposed waste! 

The brand’s sandals feature stylish and feminine designs, and if you like little details that add personality, like bows or metallic finishes, Reformation has plenty of those too. 

10. Everlane

For: Women

Materials: Leather, Regenerated Leather, Recycled Polyester 

Sustainable clothing brand Everlane offers various styles of Earth-friendly sandals.

You can choose from many different slip-on slides with either a flat sole or a medium-sized block heel, fisherman sandals, models with ankle or back straps, and flip flops. 

Most are crafted from leather sourced from tanneries certified Gold or Silver by the Leather Working Group.

Everlane also uses regenerated leather and recycled polyester (from plastic bottles) in some of its designs.  

What’s more, the brand has eliminated virgin plastics from its packaging, and it was named “Sustainable Brand of the Year” at the 2023 Glossy Fashion Awards!

11. Poppy Barley

For: Women

Materials: Leather 

Looking for sustainable leather sandals that you can easily dress up or down?

Look no further than Poppy Barley! 

This brand’s sandals look very chic, yet you can comfortably wear them all day long thanks to their cushioned memory foam insoles. 

Whether you choose a flat strappy sandal or a heeled model, they’re all built to last and ethically made in factories that are regularly audited.

Poppy Barley also makes them from Leather Working Group-certified leather and uses water-based glue. 

Its sandals are sold with a practical cotton dust bag to keep them safe when not in use, and are shipped using FSC-certified recycled paper boxes. 

Did I mention that the brand is B Corp certified and that it has a recycling program that gives old Poppy Barley shoes a new life? 

Final thoughts on the best sustainable sandals

I hope you’ve found this article about the best sustainable sandals helpful and that you could find a pair you love wearing this spring and summer!

Not only are these made with the environment and durability in mind, but they’re also super stylish and comfortable to wear!

If you liked this article, you may also be interested in: 

• Are Crocs bad for the environment? & 6 eco-friendly alternatives
• 14 sustainable shoe brands for an eco-friendly footprint
• 10 best sustainable sunglasses brands that protect your eyes & the environment
• 8 sustainable boots for fall & winter adventures
• 8 best sustainable running shoes for Earth-loving runners
• 9 cozy, sustainable slippers to keep your feet and the planet happy
• 6 best bamboo socks for eco-conscious women & men
• 10 best organic cotton socks you’ll never want to take off
• 9 best organic cotton shorts to upgrade your summer look sustainably

Which ethical sandals brand have you decided to try out? 

Please leave a comment!

Don’t forget to share this blog post with your friends so they can find eco-friendly sandals too. 

Looking for more non-toxic & sustainable brands? Check out the Ethical & Sustainable Brand Directory!

It features conscious brands in various categories, from home goods and furniture to fashion and clean beauty!

Share & save for later!