There’s no denying sustainable fashion has taken a bold stride forward over the last decade, and it’s up to us to make sure things don’t flip-flop around. Enter eco-friendly flip-flops.
People have been wearing flip-flops for centuries, but lately, they’re doing less flippin’ and more floppin’ by washing up on beaches by the tons with other plastic waste.
By 2025, the global flip-flop market is expected to rise to $23.8 billion, making traditional flip-flops the most popular style of footwear around the world. These cheap plastic versions are generally so flimsy you’ll be lucky to make them last the summer. While it’s tempting to replace them with a $3 pair, consider investing in a pair of eco-friendly alternatives that will last a lot longer.
As we refresh our articles in the coming months, we’ll be employing our new Brand Rating System to extend what we look for to 22 criteria including waste action, materials and product performance. To learn more about this new system, flip through our explainer here.
In this article, we’re taking a look at the flippin’ good sustainable flip-flop brands and why they stand out among the flops.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
Our Top Ethical Flip-Flop Sole Mates
While we admire lots of brands, our top picks (er, kicks) come from B Corp Indosole, who specialize in recycled tire flip-flops.
Or there’s Okabashi’s, whose 100% recyclable flip-flops are (dare we say) stylish—not to mention made of biobased materials.
You won’t be a gumby by choosing Gumbies, whose non-slip flip-flops are tested to comfortably last 1,000 miles or more. That’s a lot of beach trips!
Index: Sustainable Flip-Flops For Men & Women
- Indosole Jump to brand
- Okabashi Jump to brand
- Gumbies Jump to brand
- Third Oak Jump to brand
- Deux Mains Jump to brand
- Native Shoes Jump to brand
- Waves Jump to brand
Indosole
About Indosole
Price Range: $30–$55
“Indosole represents a lifestyle of resourceful creation”.
We love this because that’s what it means to both create and consume sustainably.
It all started when founder Kyle Parsons visited Bali and purchased a pair of sandals made from recycled tires. He’s now taken that #TiresToSoles recycling model and turned them into some of the most ethical flip-flops in the world.
With arch support, waterproof quality, and a non-slip textured top sheet, both the slides and rubber flip-flops are designed for all-terrain use.
If recycled kids’ flip-flops are on your summer shopping list, the Toddler’s ESSNTLS feature an extra back strap to keep clumsy little legs from tripping on too much flop.
Indosole’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
These are recycled tire flip-flops, first and foremost. The outsole is made from tire tread, and the straps are made out of a material called “ENVRO” fiber which uses little water in the flip-flop manufacturing process and gives off a leather-like feel. Not only is it cruelty-free, but does not contain any types of plastic, and is also 100% waterproof.
Supply chain & labor practices:
As a Certified B Corp, Indosole maintains top-notch ethics throughout their manufacturing processes and supply chains. With yearly audits across a variety of impact areas, this certification ensures their workers are paid fairly and work in safe environments when producing non-toxic flip-flops.
For an extra step above the rest, most of their supply chain is within Indonesia – from the sourcing of tires from garages and tire brokers to the final manufacturing by local artisans.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
This flip-flop manufacturer keeps its carbon footprint to a minimum by sourcing materials locally. Their manufacturing processes also use less water and dye.
Community & charitable giving:
Indosole organizes and supports various charitable events to cultivate a community of Good Humans. These include charity basketball tournaments, Fashion Revolution Week events, and more. They will also launch a partnership with Soles4Souls to give back to displaced families through a disaster relief program.v
Okabashi
About Okabashi
Price Range: $25
Okabashi’s latex-free flip-flops for men and women provide support for foot health. They feature a slip-resistant design, toe rest, and gentle massage beads.
Whether treating plantar fasciitis or post-fitness recovery, these winners of the Woman’s Day Health Great Value Awards may just help you.
The concept draws on Japanese reflexology and design, largely because Okabashi is the culmination of the Irvani family’s “true American dream story.”
These flip-flops are made in the USA in every interpretation of the phrase. Styles like the Baha recycled flip-flops feature elegant braided straps, so you can seamlessly go from the beach to the streets.
Okabashi’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Okabashi flip-flops are a combination of 25% recycled materials and bio-based soy material that are free from any BPAs, latex, and phthalates. They’re not biodegradable but are fully recyclable via Okabashi’s US-based recycling program.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Okabashi creates shoes from Buford, Georgia, which has a long history of footwear manufacturing since the days of World War II.
On average, their shoes only travel 7% as far as other shoes. Their manufacturing facility runs under the guidance of a mostly female team, and “goes above and beyond stringent US standards to create opportunity and community for our diverse 200 employees”.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Okabashi saves an estimated 134,000 gallons of fuel per year by not shipping products from Asia to the USA.
Community & charitable giving:
The brand partners with US nonprofits Two Ten Footwear Foundation and Souls4Soles. Through them, they’ve donated over 8,000 pairs of shoes for people in disaster relief areas, veterans, and more
Gumbies
About Gumbies
Price Range: $25–$35
Australian-inspired Gumbies was founded by Michael Maurer under the belief that “life is too short for complication. Keep it simple. Ride a wave, climb a mountain, wear Gumbies.”
Their footwear line includes boat shoes, vegan sandals, slides, canvas slip-ons, and of course, three different types of upcycled cork and recycled rubber flip-flops.
We’re big fans of the look and antimicrobial benefits of natural cork flip-flops, so the Corker Unisex Flip Flops are our favorites, but all models boast the same shock-absorbing and slip-resistant qualities. After rugged testing and proven durability, they call the Islander their “1000-miler”.
Gumbies’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The Corkers biodegradable flip-flops are the most sustainable, with an upcycled cork fabric top layer, salvaged cotton strap, and recycled rubber outsole reinforced with jute for strength.
The Islander Canvas line is a close sustainable second, featuring recycled rubber outsoles, recycled cotton canvas toe posts and strap linings, 100% cotton insole, and an EVA midsole (which is not biodegradable).
The Duck Bills sacrifice a little more sustainability for their waterproof quality, with a textured EVA top layer, recycled PET strap, and rubber outsole.
The Cairns non-slip flip-flops feature outsoles made from recycled rubber, while jersey textiles provide a super soft touch for the soles of your feet.
Supply chain & labor practices:
While they have manufacturing locations in the USA and UK, they do manufacture in China. We’re not certain if their factories have any ethical manufacturing certifications.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Because Gumbies has distribution centers around the world, they can ship from areas closer to you than their base, which reduces the container and shipping emissions they use.
All orders come in resealable/reusable bags which are also 100% recyclable and reduce shipping volume by 50%. Outer shipping boxes are made of 100% recycled post-consumer waste.
Community & charitable giving:
Gumbies partners with VERDN. For every purchase, they plant a mangrove tree in Africa, providing jobs and income to local communities. Gumbies is also a proud member of the European Outdoor Conservation Association, giving its support towards their conservation projects.
Third Oak
About Third Oak
Price Range: $30–$35
Third Oak makes some of the most durable flip-flops: the Scout flip-flops and Journey Sandals (which feature a T-strap design and adjustable heel strap).
With thin straps and metallic-tinted straps, styles like the Scout in Moss Gold are a perfect option if you’re looking for slightly fancier natural flip-flops to wear to the beach and then out to a romantic dinner.
Third Oak’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Third Oak offers sustainable flip-flops made from recycled plastic, blended with 45% bio-based soy. This material is more durable than many other natural flip-flops, and it’s also fully recyclable via their closed-loop manufacturing process.
They not only use factory scraps for new flip-flops made from recycled materials but will gladly accept your worn-out ones.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Third Oak is based in Georgia, and their recycled flip-flops are made in the USA. That means you know all their workers are treated fairly, and their factory is upheld to higher labor standards.
Deux Mains
About Deux Mains
Price Range: $65–$100
Admittedly, Deux Mains doesn’t so much make plastic-free flip-flops as slides, but these fabulous slip-on shoes are too comfortable and convenient to flop off this list.
“Inspired by the ancestral wisdom of a busy Haitian marketplace”, the colorfully abstract Hand Painted Sandals are some stunning, statement-making slides wearable just about anywhere.
They also have eco flip-flops for men in similar (albeit less colorful) designs. All Deux Mains sandals come with a 50,000-mile guarantee meaning they believe in the quality of their products.
Deux Mains’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Deux Main’s comfortable footwear range is made with repurposed tire soles. The uppers are made of leather sourced from some of the most sustainable tanneries in the world. Water usage has been reduced by 30% and 66% of all waste is recycled.
Supply chain & labor practices:
As the director for Fashion Revolution in Haiti, ethical manufacturing and transparency are Deux Mains’ core values. A big part of that is keeping things local and traceable. Almost 100% of the eco-friendly materials are sourced in Haiti, including recycled tires that would otherwise be burned.
Employees are paid well above minimum wage on average, plus daily production bonuses, paid maternity AND paternity leave, health and education benefits, and a university matching program.
Three of their Haitian managers are shareholders in the company, and they’ve invested nearly $800,000 in the Haitian economy so far.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Deux Main’s product range is produced in small batches in a 100% solar-powered, women-owned factory in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
The company is also partnering with EcoCart to empower the Deux Mains community to make their orders 100% carbon-neutral. So far, they have invested in projects like the Tri-City Forest, McCloud River Conservation, and Brazil Compost.
Community & charitable giving:
Deux Mains works hand-in-hand (or foot-in-shoe, rather) with REBUILD, an organization founded in response to the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake.
This non-profit helps the country rebuild economically by training workers to use scrap tires for sandal-making. These original designs eventually morphed into Deux Mains as a whole brand.
Native Shoes
About Native Shoes
Price Range: $32–$55
Native Shoes aims to introduce more lightness into your life. They do this with men’s, women’s, and kids’ shoes, boots, and flip-flop style slide sandals (just without the toe thong).
We’ve tested out the Spencer LX and can confirm that the Sugarlite™ outsoles are just as light and comfortable as you can imagine. With a contoured shape that perfectly matches the foot shape, these are slip-on recycled shoes we can wear alllllll day long.
Native’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Native Shoes has two different sustainable materials in their sandals: repurposed algae and Sugarlite™.
Rise by Bloom is an algae-blended resin containing a significant fraction of algae biomass and bio-based additives. Algae biomass doesn’t require fossil fuel or arable land to grow, making it a good resource for creating a useful material.
Sugarlite™ is a blend of traditional EVA and a sugarcane-derived resin and fewer greenhouse gas emissions are created during the production process.
EVA is also used in many of Native Shoe’s footwear, and while it may not be the most eco-friendly of materials, it is recyclable via the Native Remix Project. As a vegan shoe brand, no animal byproducts or glues are used anywhere in these vegan flip-flops.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Native shoes are made in factories in China and Vietnam and the brand ensures factory conditions include the prohibition of forced labor, regulation of wages, and monitoring of working hours. Brand representatives make several trips a year to develop new products and ensure proper conditions are being maintained.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Once your eco-friendly flip-flops have reached the end of their life or your kids have grown out of them, send them to the Native Shoes Remix Project, the brand’s flagship recycling initiative.
Using science-based emission reduction targets, Native is incorporating renewable energy in their manufacturing to reduce emissions.
Community & charitable giving:
Your well-loved shoes are recycled in projects across the country including the creation of seating, playground flooring, insulation, and much more. Any other shoes you return to Native are sorted and donated to good causes.
Waves
About Waves
Price Range: $14–$15
The colorful patterns and designs of Waves’ natural rubber flip-flops remind us that just because something is green, it doesn’t need to look so.
Their flip-flops and thong wedges are perfect for those who want to get wild with a two-toned color pattern or those who like to keep it straight and simple.
Waves’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Waves use 100% premium-grade natural rubber for their flip-flops, making for a cushioned, grippy, and durable shoe.
Supply chain & labor practices:
This natural rubber is sourced in Sri Lanka, where it doesn’t need to travel far for manufacturing… because they’re made there, too!
Waves flip-flops are handcrafted under a “strict socially responsible manufacturing process” in exchange for fair wages. Waves is proud that their production supports communities in Sri Lanka by providing fair and stable job opportunities.
Heather earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition from the The Ohio State University before completing a Masters in Environment at The University of Melbourne. She then went on to achieve a Permaculture Design Certificate at the Djanbung Gardens. Heather feels best when she is barefoot in a forest or has dirt under her fingernails. She’s constantly daydreaming about her homesteading future and has a rapidly-growing list of the best local (and not-so-local) hiking trails. When she’s not busy hoarding an embarrassing number of upcycled glass jars, experimenting with urban composting, or quelling her eco-anxiety on a long run, Heather spends her 9-5 working for a sustainable agriculture nonprofit, where she advocates for state and federal policies that support thriving farmers and a habitable future.
Most comprehensive list of brands and thanksnfor sharing all the details. So helpful.
Hey,
just wanted to let you know that original corks flip flops are not 100% cork! Neither the fabric that they use is 100% cork nor is the footbed …. there is actually a much better alternative out there, also all locally produced in Portugal but with a footbed that is 100% biodegradable (made from natural latex + cork) and doesn’t use a rubber-cork-mixture like original cork 🙂
they are cimasandals.com
It’s all well and good reading all this but where do I buy them, theres no product list
Hi Jamie, We provide links to retailers where you can buy them under each of the write ups about the brand – the the line that says “Available”