Plastic Flip-Flops Are Out. Natural & Non-Toxic Sandals Are In.

This guide contains product recommendations and we may receive compensation if you purchase through certain links. As always, we only make recommendations that are genuine!

What to Look for in Natural Sandals & Non-Toxic Flip Flops

Want to ditch the plastic? Here are the types of materials to look for in organic and non-toxic sandals:

• Natural rubber
• Cork
• Hemp
• Organic cotton
• Vegetable-tanned leather
• Plant-based leathers (such as Pinatex)
• Algae & sugarcane-based foams
• Non-toxic dyes

Head to the bottom of this article to read more about these materials and why they’re better for you and for the planet compared to conventional plastic.

My Picks for the Best Non-Toxic Flip Flop & Sandal Brands

Sea Sense

Best for: plastic-free, natural rubber flip flops

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Types: Natural flip flops
Main materials: Natural rubber
For: Adults

These vegan, plastic-free flip flops are made out of natural and sustainably-harvested rubber. Plus, a portion of the profits from each pair sold go to non-profit organizations that catch and collect ocean-bound plastic before it has the chance to pollute our waterways.

Available in men’s and women’s sizes, these natural rubber sandals are a great alternative to the conventional flip flops that you end up wearing all summer long. Throw them on to run errands, wear them to the beach or pool, or slide them on for a summer evening walk around the block. 

Use the code THEFILTERY10 for 10% off.

Earth Runners

Best for: minimalistic, natural grounding sandals that you can wear for hiking & adventure

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Types: Strappy, minimalistic, flip-flop type sandals
Main materials: EVA foam, GOTS canvas
For: Adults, kids

Earth Runners carries minimalistic earthing sandals for adults and children. They are primarily made of EVA foam, canvas, and GOTS certified dyes. (Some options include small amounts of latex and/or nylon.)

They’re also vegan, made in the USA, and made for adventure!

Groundz

Best for: more stylish grounding sandals

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Types: Sandals, slip-ons
Main materials: Vegetable-tanned leather, copper
For: Adults, all genders

Groundz carries grounding slip-ons and sandals (along with sneakers). They are mainly made of vegetable-tanned natural leather, copper, and natural rubber.

They feature a 100% copper rivet conductor which is supposed to help you ground to the earth as you walk.

CANO

Best for: Huaraches

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Types: Slip-on Huaraches
Main materials: Vegetable-tanned leather, natural rubber
For: Adults

If you’re looking for Huarache-style sandals, definitely check out CANO. They have a beautiful collection of artisan-made sandals, slip-ons, and Huaraches for women and men made out of natural materials like vegetable-tanned leather and natural rubber.

All of their shoes are ethically crafted by hand in Mexico, and you can find out more about the people who made your sandals on each product page. Plus, to increase transparency even more, each and every CANO is equipped with a QR code you can scan in order to find out more about the journey of your shoes.

Use the code THEFILTERY for 10% off.

NAE Vegan

Best for: fashionable natural sandals

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Types: Flip flops, slip-ons, heels, lace-ups
Main materials: Pinatex (pineapple) vegan leather, cork, natural and synthetic rubber, PU, recycled PET
For: Adults

Although not all of NAE’s sandals are made with natural materials (they do use some synthetic and recycled vegan leathers), I love their use of innovative, plant-based materials like apple and pineapple leather, cork, and organic cotton.

They have a wide range of women’s, men’s, and unisex sandals that come in a variety of different styles, from everyday slip-ons to formal strappy heels. You’re almost sure to find a pair of sustainable sandals you love in NAE’s collection.

Most of their sandals are OEKO-TEX certified as well, which means the finished product has been verified to be free from a variety of toxic substances.

Even More Options for Natural Sandals & Flip Flops

Here are some more options that are worth checking out:

Feel Goodz:

• Vegan flip flops for adults made of natural rubber and rice husks
• They work with traditional weavers in Punjab, India, women-led knitting villages in Nepal, and rice farmers in Vietnam.

Jivanas

• Jivanas commissions artists in Nepal to ethically craft 100% biodegradable sandals.
• Their flip flops are made with premium, Italian vegetable-tanned leather and hemp, and then colored with water-based eco-friendly dyes.

Munjoi:

• Slip-on shoe that can be worn 3 ways
• Made from cotton, hemp, and plant-based EVA foam
• Good for travel

Native:

• Best alternative to Crocs
• Slip-ons and sandals for mens, women, and kids
• Made primarily of sugarcane-based EVA foam

Nisolo:

• One of the most stylish brands available
• Sandals, slip-ons, and huaraches for men and women
• Primarily made of Leather Working Group (LWG) certified leather and EVA foam
• Committed to transparency with a focus on living wages for supply chain workers

Original Cork Shop:

• Flip flops made in Portugal out of cork
• Options for adults & kids
• Also have ones for toddlers that have a strap on the back

Rawganique:

• Vegan hemp sandals & flip flops for adults
• Made with the most chemically-sensitive folks in mind

Samba Sol:

• Natural rubber flip flops for adults and kids

Vivo Barefoot

• Most of their shoes are sneakers, but they do carry some sandals for adults.
• They use mostly natural materials like leather, but they also use some synthetics (like nylon), so check the details on the specific product.

Waves:

• Colorful, gender-neutral flip flops for adults
• Made from natural rubber
• Good alternative for standard plastic flip flops

More About Healthier Materials for Natural Sandals

Want to dive a little deeper? Here’s more about the best non-toxic and plastic-free materials to look for:

Natural Rubber

Natural rubber is a renewable resource that comes from trees, whereas synthetic rubber is a petroleum byproduct that’s very similar to plastic. When possible, look for recycled and/or FSC certified natural rubber to ensure it’s sourced in a sustainable and ethical way. Several of the brands below work directly with rubber farmers to ensure they are paid fairly for their crop.

Of course, if you’re allergic or sensitive to latex, you’ll want to choose a different material.

Cork

Cork is a great natural and eco-friendly material that’s used in a lot of shoes and sandals because of its ability to be durable, supportive, and naturally anti-bacterial.

Recycled cork is even better!

Hemp & Organic Cotton

You’ll find that some of the brands above use organic cotton and hemp (mostly for the straps and upper parts of their sandals).

Hemp is one of my favorite sustainable fibers. It makes great underwear, bags, shampoo, body wash and much more. Hemp is considered to be an earth-friendlier fiber for a few reasons: 

• It doesn’t require pesticides and herbicides to grow
• It is not water-intensive
• It doesn’t strip the soil of the vital nutrients it will need to continue growing things in the future
• It’s a very durable, healthy, and breathable material that makes for a great sandal since it’s naturally antimicrobial.

Similarly, organic cotton is grown and harvested without the use of toxic synthetic pesticides and herbicides. Of course, it’s one of the more widely available types of organic fabrics, so you’ll see it in The Filtery’s guides quite a bit!

Vegetable-Tanned Leather

Conventional leather is tanned and processed using a lot of toxic chemicals and heavy metals, which can wreak havoc on the local communities where the leather is processed. Instead, go for vegetable-tanned leather which is tanned using tree bark and other plant materials.

Algae & Sugarcane Foams

There are quite a few newer sustainable materials making their way to the consumer market, and algae-based foam is one of those. This can be a better replacement for foams made from PVC (plastic) and other plastic materials that are derived from fossil fuels.

The algae for these foams can either be grown in a man-made environment (which can help prevent the disruption of the ocean’s ecosystems) or it can be obtained from areas where there is actually too much natural algae growth that is causing harm to the ecosystem.

Some brands are also using a sugarcane-based EVA foam for their sandals. Although these plant-based EVA foams may not be perfect (they still require some harsh chemicals to be processed and the sugarcane may not be sourced sustainably), they are at least better than traditional petroleum-based foams for now.

Plant-Based Leather

Other innovative materials to look for include pineapple and apple leather (which are great vegan leather alternatives), and other types of fabrics made from things like rice husks. Note: The leather alternatives in this blog are specifically plant based but it’s important to note that not all vegan leather is plant-based. Many vegan leathers are made from PVC plastic! 

Non-Toxic Dyes

Lastly, you’ll want to look for brands that use dyes and colorants that are either natural and plant-based or safe synthetics.

What About Recycled Sandals and Flip Flops?

There are plenty of brands that offer flip flops and sandals made from recycled materials like post-consumer plastic bottles, tire treads, fishing nets, old tires, and more…

While these options are certainly more sustainable than choosing virgin synthetics, one thing to be aware of is that materials like plastics, synthetic rubber, and PVC can contain toxic chemicals like phthalates.

Not to mention, they contribute to microplastic pollution as they break down.

A sandal or flip flop made from recycled materials is a great way to free up space in the landfills (and oceans). But oftentimes the recycled materials carry through toxins from their previous life.

If you’re looking for something a little safer, a little less toxic, yet still eco-friendly, I hope one of the brands steals your heart. If you want to keep searching, remember to look for natural and organic materials and safe environmental practices. 

This article also contains contributions by Aubrey S.