20 Best Sustainable Sandals for Summer 2023

Sustainability: 100% living wages, 100% offset carbon emissions, climate neutral certified, Leather Working Group Certified

Pricing: $$

At a glance: Stylish range of artisanally crafted summer sandals

Nisolo is a Nashville-based brand creating sustainable sandals (and other footwear and accessories), perfect for summer.

You can pick from a variety of classic and modern styles, but they all have one thing in common: glowing reviews.

Nisolo is a B Corp, with the highest standards for social and environmental responsibility, with 100% living wages in the brand’s supply chain, and 0% net carbon emissions. All of their products get raving reviews, and the brand has been praised in publications like Vogue and CNN.

Sustainability: Long-lasting sandals with a repair program and straps created from recycled plastic bottles.

Pricing: $-$$

At a glance: Waterproof sustainable sliders

For affordable sustainable sandals, check out Chaco, a brand that specializes in creating waterproof sandals for life’s adventures.

Chaco creates sandals you can swim in, hike in, raft in, and more, making the sandals the perfect shoe for travel.

Chacos takes recycled plastic into its iconic webbing, which comes in a range of vibrant colors and patterns.

Plus, Chaco’s sandals have an orthopedic-approved footbed for added support.

Sustainability: Leather from LWG tanneries, BCI cotton, recycled polyester

Pricing: $$

At a glance: Comfortable and on-trend sustainable sandals

Teva specializes in creating comfortable sandals with a focus on sustainability.

They seek sustainable and ethical alternatives for key materials and offer a range of vegan styles each season. In addition, every piece of leather sourced is from tanneries certified by Leather Working Group, whose mission is to promote sustainable and appropriate environmental business practices within the leather industry.

Teva also supports the Better Cotton Initiative, the largest cotton sustainability program globally, and has been recognized on the Textile Exchange LeaderBoard for using recycled polyester.

Sustainability: Sustainable sandals and eco-friendly espadrilles made ethically in Spain

Pricing: $$

At a glance: Sustainable slides, responsible leather sandals

Whether you’re looking for eco friendly espadrilles or sustainable sandals, Alohas has you covered with its stylish selection of ethical sandals.

Alohas footwear stands out from the crowd with its super on-trend sandals designed with a modern yet cool twist.

Alohas crafts each of its sandals in Spain in small batches to reduce waste, each sandal is available to pre-order, and Alohas hand makes each shoe ethically with non toxic dyes and sustainable production practices.

Sustainability: Certified B corporation. Audited factories, sandals ethically made in Europe, recycled packaging

Pricing: $$$

At a glance: Chic ethical and sustainable leather sandals

French fashion brand Sézane creates timeless sandals with a Parisian touch, perfect for summer strolls.

The brand creates its sandals ethically in its audited European ateliers using responsibly sourced leather from sustainable practices, including chrome-free leather and vegetable tanning.

Sustainability: Recycled materials, vegan, eco-friendly packaging

Pricing: $$

At a glance: Vegan sandals in retro and classic styles

Vivaia’s sandals are each made from six recycled plastic bottles, which are converted into a durable, high-quality material that looks great.

The sandals pictured (the Doris sandal) have a 100% vegan leather insole, and a carbon-free rubber outsole.

The packaging your sandals will arrive in is made with 100% recycled cardboard. 

Vivaia creates a range of sustainable sandals in classic styles.

Sustainability: 100% biodegradable sandals created ethically from vegetable-tanned leather

Pricing: $$

At a glance: Open-toe sandals and flip flops

If you’re looking for a genuinely sustainable sandal, check out Jivanas – a luxury brand that takes a different approach to its sandals. Instead of using traditionally harmful chrome-tanned leather, the brand uses 100% vegetable-tanned leather, which is safer for workers and the environment.

The brand partners with artisans in Nepal, who ethically craft Jivana’s sandals using 100% biodegradable materials, free from harmful glues or dyes.

Sustainability: Ethically handcrafted in Guatemala with sustainably sourced materials

Pricing: $$$

At a glance: Ethically made, stylish, comfortable sandals for women and men

The Root Collective’s unique business model means they partner with independent workshops in Guatemala that are owned and run by local small business owners to produce their sandals.

The Root Collective provides beyond fair trade wages and ensures opportunities are provided to the small businesses and artisans.

The sandals are made with real leather and woven fabrics, all sourced ethically.

You’ll find a range of styles that are all perfect for casual or smart summer occasions.

Sustainability: Wage transparency, only use leather that would have otherwise been discarded, recycled packaging

Pricing: $$

At a glance: High-quality and stylish sustainable sandals for casual or smart occassions

ABLE is a sustainable fashion brand, founded to employ and empower women. The brand is devoted to their employees and supply chain, helping provide training and education to women they work with to help them break the cycle of poverty.

The brand publishes their wages in annual updates and are transparent about even their lowest wages — they then use this information to increase pay for workers at factories where wages may be lower than Nisolo’s standards. The leather that Nisolo uses is taken from discards from other industries, and certified by the Leather Working Group.

Their ethical sandals are comfortable, cute, and look great. The natural leather changes color over time and you can make these sandals uniquely yours.

Sustainability: Recycled materials, socially responsible supply chain

Pricing: $

At a glance: Affordable ethical sandals, perfect for a day at the beach

Matisse only works with family-owned factories that are regularly audited for social responsibility.

The brand does use leather, but sources it from recycled sources where possible. They also use water-saving processes when they’re working with leather, and only partner with carefully nominated tanneries who share Matisse’s ethos around sustainability.

Matisse’s sandals won’t break the bank, and there’s a range of styles to help you get summer ready.

Sustainability: Certified B Corp, 1% for the planet member, recycled and natural rubber

Pricing: $

At a glance: Sustainable flip flops, sliders, and platform sandals

Indosole are innovating the world of sustainable sandals by recycling old tires into their colorful flip-flops and sliders.

So far, the brand has saved over 80K+ tires from landfills where they would otherwise pollute the earth for thousands of years.

Indosole sandals are 100% waterproof, and because they’re made from robust recycled materials, they’ll last year after year. Plus, Indosoles are so sure of the quality of their footwear they offer a one-year warranty on each pair!

Sustainability: PETA Approved Vegan, ethical vegan leather, handmade in Spain

Pricing: $$$

At a glance: Vegan brand making high-quality sustainable footwear since 2001

Beyond Skin make a range of fully vegan sandals from soft faux leather.

The brand is PETA-approved vegan, and all materials are made in the most eco-friendly methods possible with minimal use of toxic chemicals.

Beyond Skin is based in England, but their shoes are ethically handcrafted in Spain. They’ve been making shoes since 2001, so they know a thing or two about creating sustainable footwear, and you won’t be disappointed.

Sustainability: Recycled materials, ethical and transparent supply chain, no scraps policy, minimal waste packaging

Pricing: $$

At a glance: Durable, soft, and sustainable rope sandals made with traditional techniques

Nomadic State of Mind make soft, lightweight rope sandals with natural materials. The brand works with artisans in Nicaragua who handmake each pair of sandals.

The Vibram soles are glued on using low-VOC glue and applied with traditional machinery. The rope is partly reclaimed polypropylene cord, which is extremely durable and will hold up for years.

Nomadic State of Mind’s ethical ethos extends all the way to their packaging. There’s no shoebox, and instead, the sandals are tired together with a single string in a the USPS mailbag.

Sustainability: 100% vegan and ethical sandals from sustainable materials including cork, pinatex, and GOTS certified organic cotton

Pricing: $$

At a glance: Block heel sandal and summer flat sandal styles

NAE vegan shoes is a Portuguese sustainable shoe brand focusing on environmental protection and ethical production.

The name Nae stands for No Animal Exploitation, and this is reflected through the brand’s choice in materials, as Nae is 100% cruelty-free and vegan.

The brand creates its products ethically in Portugal, using eco-friendly materials, including recycled, natural, and sustainable materials.

Sustainability: Natural materials, ethical production in the EU and USA

Pricing: $$

At a glance: Natural hemp sandals, eco-friendly clogs, flip flop, and sandals

If you’re looking for unique, sustainable sandals made from organic materials, check out Rawganique.

Rawganique is a leader when it comes to natural and organic clothing. The brand specializes in creating apparel and accessories from hemp, organic cotton, natural rubber, and other natural materials.

Rawganiques ethical sandals are made ethically and sweatshop-free, with workers paid a living wage, having access to healthcare, and more.

Sustainability: Recyclable sandals from recycled material

Pricing: $$

At a glance: Vibrant slider sandals, practical walking sandals, waterproof sandals, Grecian sandal

Native shoes recyclable sandals are lightweight, water-resistant, and perfect for summer strolls. In addition, the shoe brand creates unisex sandals, including sliders and Grecian sandal styles in vibrant colors and patterns.

At the end of your sandals life, you can recycle your old shoes with Native shoes, who will break down the shoes and use the recycled material to create children’s playgrounds.

Sustainability: Ethical sandals made with responsibly sourced premium leather

Pricing: $$$

At a glance: Heeled sandals, ethical sandals, leather sandals

Nomasei is a French luxury footwear brand creating bespoke sustainable sandals from premium Italian leather.

Founded by two friends passionate about sustainability and design, Nomasei’s unique sandals are designed in Paris and made ethically in an Italian factory based in Monopoli.

Each sandal is crafted from locally sourced premium materials, and Nomasei is transparent about pricing and its supply chain.

Sustainability: Sustainable sliders made from recycled plastic bottles

Pricing: $$

At a glance: Slider sandals

If you’re looking for a minimal sandal style, check out SUAVS, a shoe brand creating shoes from recycled plastic bottles.

SUAVS currently creates one sandal style, the Eddy, which comes in three neutral colors.

Each slider is crafted from a 30% Recycled EVA sole and features a knitted upper from recycled plastic. So far, SUAVS have diverted almost one hundred thousand plastic bottles from landfills.

Sustainability: Sustainable sandals from a range of sustainable and ethical shoe brands

Pricing: $$

At a glance: Grecian sandals, heeled sandals, sliders

For a range of stylish ethical sandals, check out Urbankissed, a carefully curated online destination that allows you to shop from the best sustainable shoe favorites.

You will find popular brands such as Cano or up-and-coming labels, including Bohema and Grecian Sandals. Each brand creates stylish sandals from a range of ethically sourced materials, including premium leather and vegan leathers, including Desserto, Pinatex, and Vegea® grape (vegan materials made from cactus or pineapples and grape byproducts from the food industry).

Plus, all shipping and returns are 100% carbon neutral at no extra cost to the customer.

Sustainability: Sustainable sandals and flip flops made with carbon negative sugarcane-based EVA

Pricing: $$

At a glance: Sustainable flip flops, sustainable slides

Meet Allbirds newest addition, the Sugar Series, which features two styles of sustainable sandals, an eco friendly flip flop style and a slider style, perfect for summer strolls, beach days, and pool parties.

Allbirds are a sustainable shoe brand that uses eco-friendly materials and ethical production to create comfortable shoes. For example, its Sugar Zeffers and Sugar Sliders are made with a carbon-negative bio-based sole and recycled plastics straps.

Allbirds biobased EVA sole is created from Sugarcane and is biodegradable; this is a step in the right direction for footwear production because regular EVA foam used in many shoes is not biodegradable and may take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills.