Working from home requires all the comfort you can get, a good pair of comfortable outfits, cute socks, a nice cup of coffee, your favorite playlist, and for most of all, a nice pair of eco-friendly slippers!
Fluffy house ones or your trusted flip-flops, a good pair of earth-friendly slippers will give you a unique kind of comfort that will go way beyond as you consciously choose to do your part to make a difference in the world.
By choosing to be sustainable, you have chosen to contribute less and learn more today than you did yesterday to save the environment – even with just a pair of slippers.
What Are Eco-Friendly Slippers?
Eco-friendly slippers are designed with the environment and rules of ethical fashion in mind.
It aims to reduce carbon footprint and conventional fabrics and materials that are affecting the planet.
It symbolizes an approach to the makings of clothing:
- such as distributional design,
- sourcing, and
- manufacturing of clothing that maximizes the benefits for people and minimizes the effects on the environment.
With this being said, if you’re ready to save the world – one piece of clothing at a time, a pair of eco-friendly slippers might be a good start!
While there are fewer brands that are 100% sustainable, there are quite a few that live up to the standard so fret not, here are some recommendations to help you start.
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List Of The Best Eco-Friendly Slippers To Cozy Up With While Working From Home
We’ve curated a list of eco-friendly slippers that ranges from fluffy, soft house slippers to sturdy, resilient flip flops to help you pick the one that suits you best.
Some are made from pure wool, and some with durable natural rubber – these eco-friendly slippers will be sure to make you feel great and comfortable when you put them on!
Here are some quick links to some of the best eco-friendly slippers that’re great for both your feet, and the environment:
Best Eco-Friendly Slippers For You To Get Comfortable With While Working From Home
1. Freewaters
The biggest initiative of Freewaters’ was to provide clean and safe drinking water for various communities in Kenya, Haiti, and the Philippines.
Their confidence was such that in 2011 they established their first water project in Kenya before they could even sell their first pair of eco-friendly slippers!
Their products including their toxic-free slippers are all made of PVC-free (a toxic carcinogen listed by the WHO) materials and for assembly, water-based glues.
Water-based glues are low in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and are free from formaldehyde which creates a safer environment for work and a cleaner planet.
Whereas being PVC free means lesser toxic chemicals are being built up in our water, air, and food chain.
Also a pioneer for responsibly sourced leather, Freewater ensures that the water used in the tanning process for leather is purified naturally on wetlands.
This is where the chemicals can be broken down by plants and microorganisms in the wetlands, allowing the water to be recycled and reused.
Their environmentally friendly slippers and other footwear also boast their footbeds that are made of 10%-15% recycled EVA foam rubber.
This special foam rubber is specifically designed for excellent cushioning, comfortable arch support, and a modern fit – a win-win for you and the planet!
You can find them here.
2. Nootkas
The creation of the Nootka slipper all started from trying to create the perfect house slipper. Taking inspiration from Scandinavia and Northern Europe, there the house slipper was ready to be worn once home from the outside.
Nootka’s founders went about creating the perfect house slipper when they realised all that was available was unstylish, hard and uncomfortable.
They believe in finding joy in the simple things, preferring sustainable, natural fabrics and fibers. Their key mission is to keep plastics, chemicals and synthetic fibers out of their products.
The wool used in the making of the Nootkas Astoria slippers is hand felted 100% Merino Sheep wool sourced from New Zealand, and their Mongolian made slippers are felted with locally sourced Mongolian Merino wool purchased from nomadic sheep herders.
All of Nootkas shoe boxes are made with 98% post consumer recycled cardboard with plastic-free packaging. Dyes used are natural, AZO-free dye. What are Azo dyes? These are synthetic dyes that do not occur naturally, and are known to be highly toxic and pollute waterways.
If you are looking for a slipper that not only has eco-friendly slippers, sustainable packaging and are conscious about all the materials used and the impact they have on the environment, they also work with artisans in Nepal and where they practice equal pay for equal work, regardless of their gender in facilities that are entirely solar powered!
You can find them on their website here.
3. Minnetonka
Fleece Lined Slippers for Women
Started in 1946, Minnetonka is an independant and fourth generation family-run business even to this day.
Their goal is to preserve the handcraftsmanship of their products, creating comfortable footwear that is sustainable and socially responsible.
They collaborate with local indigenous artisans giving them recognition for their work.
The company has focused on investing in causes that benefit the women, children, families and schools of the Native American community.
Suede Plush Slippers for Women
Designed with 70% Recycled Sugarcane EVA, Recycled Fabric, 100% Repurposed Breathable Mesh Lining, and Ortholite EcoPlush Recycled Insole
Minnetonka is sustainably led, undergoing a top-to-bottom sustainability audit to achieve their sustainability commitments in reaching their goal in making a difference to building a sustainable future.
All leathers used are sourced from tanneries using environmentally friendly business practices with either gold or silver certifications.
Minnetonka use innovative materials such as rice husk and sugarcane in their soles, with recycled fabric and 100% repurposed breathable mesh lining.
Their boxes are are made from 100% recycled materials and printed with eco-friendly soy ink.
They are also part of a non-profit organization that focuses on global reforestation. With every pair of slippers, sandals or shoes purchased one tree is planted in the Chippewa National Forest.
You can get them on their here.
4. Acorn
This comfy and sustainable brand was started in Maine to overcome the grueling winters by one man David Quin. He started hand sewing leather on the soles of thick socks to gift to family and friends. This became the signature style of what Acorn is today.
What started out as a casual, extremely warm home slipper has now turned into a brand that has slippers and shoes for indoor and outdoor, for casual weekends and sporty get togethers!
Sustainability is key at Acorn, every step of their process takes a conscious approach through the choice of materials used for their footwear, packaging, supply chain and printed materials.
Their slippers use a recycled berber upper and fleece lining to help you reduce your carbon footprint.
You can find them here.
5. Bure Bure
Based in Vilnius – Lithuania, Bure Bure was started during the Soviet Union where everything looked the same. The same buildings, the same hairstyles, the same clothes. The only shoes everyone wore were grey as they were the only ones made at the state factories.
Natural Boiled Wool and Alpaca
Inga the founder was drawn towards creating and making beautiful shoes. She had grown up in a shoemakers studio, as her grandfather and great grandfather were shoemakers.
At the age of 29, she discovered handmade felt which for her was life-changing. She learnt how to mold it and create seamless shoes with no stitches and clips. Before starting her job each day she would make felt, and anytime she travelled with friends and family, Inga would bring all her tools.
Indian Silk Ribbons
Bure Bure was able to grow and become established when her family moved out of town to live in the Lithuanian woods, they started an organic farm called Forestsheep and a Bure Bure studio was also created.
The land they lived in was considered infertile, this meant it was not damaged by the farming industry with chemicals which in turn benefited the Skudden sheep that Inga and her family raised. Skudden sheep produced high-quality wool and were considered a rare breed, thus Inga helped to preserve and establish this rare sheep breed.
The beauty of Bure Bure slippers are that they are so lightweight it is like walking on air! They only way around 200-300 grams. The interiors are 100% wool, and are handmade and handfelted using only hot water and natural olive soap.
Wool is known to have amazing insulation properties keeping your feet warm and also preventing them from over-sweating.
Because of the insulation of wool fibers feet remain cool on a hot day and warm on a cool day.
Bure Bure avoid using the typical cardboard packaging by packing their shoes in a reusable linen bag which can also have a customised to make it personalised!
And if you remember the beauty and thought that comes with creating each pair every time you wear them, you’ll probably never want to take them off.
You can find them here.
6. Indosole
As their motto is ‘Saving the planet one sandal at a time’, Indosole are an eco friendly footwear company that repurposes tyres into their signature durable footwear.
They have identified a problem which is tire waste, that just sit around on dumping sites, and are a breeding ground for mosquitoes causing serious health problems like malaria and dengue for local communities.
Tires take thousands of years to decompose, and are sometimes burnt as a cheap alternative to fuel giving out toxic fumes. Indosole transforms tires into footwear by recycling old tires that are destined for landfills, grinding them into a powder and turning into their signature footwear.
Indosole have a variety of footwear for men, women and kids, that are vegan and cruelty-free. They are made from natural rubber that is ethically sourced from Indonesia, with natural dyes and toxins and chemicals.
They are also a Certified B Corp which means Indosole meets the highest standards for benefiting the society as a whole, socially, environmentally with legal accountability of balancing profit and purpose.
You can find them here.
7. Reef
Two brothers founded Reef from their love of the beach and surfing. They started with the intention of creating a brand that was high-quality and comfortable enough to walk everywhere with.
With their love for the beach, they organise beach clean-ups, almost 8000 of them in removing 1 million pounds of trash! Supporting environmental legislations on eliminating pollutants at the source. They established the REEF x Surfrider Better Beach Alliance to work on reducing plastic pollution and keeping the beaches clean, healthy and plastic free.
Sustainability is key at Reef, their mission is to incorporate renewable, recycled or organic materials where possible such as 100% cotton, 100% natural jute and cork. And amazingly they are 100% PVC free! Why is PVC so bad? It is considered to be the least recyclable plastic due to all the additives used to make it, and is impractical and expensive to recycle. In total, less than 0.5 percent of total post-consumer PVC is recycled.
All their polyester is 100% recycled from post consumer plastic bottles are certified by the global recycling standard. With 100% of the leather and suede sourced from tanneries with gold and silver ratings.
Reef utilise Eco Foams with a percentage recycled in their EVA and rubber compounds. They also use a bio-based EVA which comes from renewable sugarcane. What is EVA? EVA stands for ethyl vinyl acetate and is the foam material used in the midsoles of shoes, it is very similar to rubber and helps with shock absorption when walking or running.
You can find them here.
8. Olli
After sensing a gap in the market for affordable, high quality, and sustainable flip-flops on a holiday, two sisters decided that it was time to create better ones.
Olli prides itself on the comfort of their natural rubber shoes that got them traveling the world looking for the finest natural rubber there is, and being accountable for Fairtrade for every member of their production line.
After discovering how durable natural rubber is, the two sisters set out on a mission to make the world’s best eco-friendly flip flops by concocting a foolproof recipe for spongy non-toxic flip flops.
When mixed with the right balance of other natural ingredients, natural rubber’s elasticity improves greatly which makes the perfect latex compound to make it super spongy.
The sponginess allows the structure to be maintained and stay strong regardless of the challenges and adventures it has to go through.
This earth-friendly footwear is also lightweight and soft, a plus because natural rubber has a silky smooth texture that feels like silk soft and weighs nothing.
This unique non-slip type of slippers could also benefit different people from all walks of life as it provides maximum comfort and support for various types of activities during the day.
Be it the irritation-free natural materials used or the amazing support it provides for the arches of your feet, they are great for everyday use – be it at home, at your desk, at the office, or for a quick walk to the grocery store.
You can find them here.
Conclusion
Whether you need something comfortable and sturdy to take you on adventures or just warm hug-like comfort for your feet, we hope that you’ve found one that piqued your interest from our list of best sustainable slippers and flip flops.
Every small action in the direction of minimizing the wasteful products of the fashion industry makes a difference when done collectively.
Keep in mind that when looking for a pair of environmentally friendly slippers or footwear, be sure to have the main items checked out in your ethical list.
This includes the type of materials, supply chain, labor practices, inclusivity, green business practices as well as charitable endeavors are good indications of whether they are an eco-friendly organization.
Keeping the planet safe and clean should never be at the cost of looking good.
By doing your part, you’re already making a difference, and like we said, a pair of ethically made slippers is as good a start as any.
