What could be better for relaxation and self-care than a cozy pair of slippers? We’ve picked out the best sustainable slippers that are perfect for eco-conscious people who love loungewear, sleepwear, and comfort.
What exactly are sustainable slippers?
Sustainable slippers are simply slippers, but made with sustainable materials, in a sustainable way. This type of cozy footwear is made from eco-friendly materials using strictly ethical and green manufacturing processes.
Most sustainable footwear is either made from recycled waste or environmentally-sustainable materials like organic wool, and recycled and plant-based leathers, and slippers are no exception.
Every step, from growing and harvesting raw materials to manufacturing and delivering the final product, is sustainable. This means using minimal water in production, avoiding harmful chemicals, limiting or offsetting carbon emissions, and using sustainable packaging.
Remember, though, that sustainability does not always mean ethical. This is why you should always pay attention to how a product is made. The sustainable slippers we’ve looked at here are ethically-made from ethically-sourced materials: the brands listed here ensure fair and safe working conditions for all employees and are conscious of their social impact. These products are cruelty free, and many sustainable slippers are also vegan.
Why shop for sustainable slippers?
Your cozy slippers may seem innocent enough, but they are part of the global fashion industry, which can be devastating for the planet. Most mainstream footwear brands are part of the fast fashion sector, which chases profit and convenience without considering the long-term impacts on the environment.
This footwear is typically made from synthetic materials, and colored with harsh chemical dyes. Not only do these materials generate toxic pollution during manufacture, they’re terrible for the planet’s waste problem: plastic-based insoles alone can take up to 1000 years to break down.
Even natural materials can be problematic. Conventional leather tanning involves more than 250 different chemicals which can make their way to our waterways and devastate aquatic ecosystems.
Leather can even contribute to our landfill woes, taking up to 100 years to decompose fully. This is particularly an issue when it comes to fast fashion pieces that are not designed to last, but instead be cheap to replace while we throw pair after pair of worn out footwear in the trash.
The footwear industry doesn’t only harm the environment, but it can have a range of negative impacts on animals, people and communities involved in the supply chain.
According to PETA, the global leather industry is rife with animal cruelty, with cows and other animals subjected to castration, branding and tail-docking without painkillers, as well as deprivation and extreme overcrowding.
Like garments, the workers in the global footwear industry are often underpaid and subjected to unsafe, extreme, and even slavery-like working conditions. The US Bureau of International Labor Affairs lists footwear as being linked to forced and child labor in a number of countries, and cites examples of children as young as nine years old working 12 hours a day, six days a week in the sector.
What are the best sustainable slippers and slipper brands?
By investing in sustainable footwear that is responsibly-made from recycled or eco-friendly materials, you can be confident you’re doing your part to contribute to environmental conservation and reduce toxic waste. To make sure that your money is being spent on eco-friendly and ethical products, always look for companies that offer complete transparency.
We’ve picked out our favorite slipper brands and the best sustainable slippers that will keep your feet warm and cozy without costing the earth.
1. BAABUK
BAABUK seeks to offer sustainable slippers and footwearthat combines comfort with unmatched style. The brand’s founders were inspired by their international travels to discover new ways to make felted wool shoes.
The B-Corp certified brand now offers a range of sustainable felted wool footwear, including slippers, shoes, and sneakers, and promotes the ethical use of wool as a durable, long-lasting, and sustainable material. They responsibly-source their raw materials from certified mulesing-free producers in Portugal and New Zealand.
Top Pick: Baabuk’s Mel slipper is handmade in Nepal from New Zealand natural wool and 100% natural crepe rubber and comes in a range of stunning colors.
2. NOOTKAS
Nootkas is all about finding joy in the simple things of life, such as friends, family, and a healthy lifestyle. This brand uses natural, sustainable materials – namely merino wool and real suede – to make soft, breathable, sustainable slippers free from a plastic, synthetic materials, and harsh chemicals.
Their slippers are handmade using traditional felting techniques in a Fair Trade USA Certified facility and are available in undyed and colored versions created with natural, AZO-free dyes. Their packaging is plastic-free and they use shoe boxes made from 98% post-consumer recycled cardboard.
Top Pick: One of the brand’s most popular items, their Women’s Astoria Noir Wool House Slippers offer a comfortable design and luxurious feel while being naturally odor and microbial-resistant.
3. BETTERFELT
BetterFelt’s sustainable slippers, boots, and shoes are designed in Denmark and made in Nepal in their own fair trade-certified facility. Along with a range of adult footwear that exemplifies the practicality and simplicity of Danish design, they also offer cute, whimsical kids’ shoes.
BetterFelt’s products are made from 100% natural, uncarbonized wool. The brand is proud to have created sustainable employment in Nepal for over a decade and supports sustainable development in the country.
Top Pick: The Daisy is a high-top boot slipper made from 100% New Zealand wool felt with a natural rubber crepe sole.
4. DOOEYS
Dooeys makes stylish yet comfortable sustainable slippers and house shoes designed to be worn all-day, everyday, whether you’re working from home, hosting a dinner party, or relaxing on the couch. The brand strives to make products that have all the advantages and none of the drawbacks of uncomfortable outdoor sneakers and unsupported slippers that slide around under your feet.
Their sustainable slippers are lightweight and cozy, and made in Portugal from plant-based and recycled materials such as vegan apple leather, sugar EVA, organic cotton, recycled polyester, and recycled plastic bottles. Not only will these slippers give your feet the support they need, they’re available in a range of cool styles.
Top Pick: Their Blush House Sandals are made from apple leather with organic cotton lining and recycled rubber soles, and can go from indoors to outdoors with a lightweight feel and cushioned insoles.
5. FREEWATERS
Freewaters was born in a tiny art studio in the hills above San Francisco. After establishing the first clean water project in Kenya, the brand began manufacturing affordable and premium quality footwear with their first product line of sandals.
Since then, they’ve expanded their range to include high-quality men’s, women’s, and kids’ sandals, sneakers, and sustainable slippers, all made from responsibly-sourced leather and other eco-friendly materials. The brand reinvests 1% of all sales in clean water projects across the world, and seek to promote a culture of ethical manufacturing
Top Pick: Freewaters’ Kai slipper for men is made from entirely vegan materials, include recycled rubber outsoles.
6. ALLBIRDS
AllBirds aims to produce innovative wool footwear to the highest standards of environmental and social consciousness. Along with cozy sustainable slippers, they also make men’s and women’s shoes, clothing, and accessories.
The brand uses only recycled packaging, is a certified B Corp and is committed to making their business 100% carbon neutral. They also partner with Soles4Souls to donate used AllBirds products to needy communities worldwide.
Top Pick: AllBirds’ Wool Dwellers are dreamy slippers made from reused wool scraps and GRS Certified recycled polyester, with a cushy midsole that will keep your feet happy and comfortable on long days.
7. TOAST
UK-based brand TOAST was founded with a vision to create comfortable, chic, and trendy footwear that you can style however you want, for virtually any event. Starting with sleepwear and loungewear, the brand expanded their range to include footwear as they recognized the need for sustainable options in this sector.
Their simple and functional designs rely heavily on traditional crafting techniques made by artisans across the world. TOAST works closely with artisans, weavers, and mills across the global to ensure ethical and sustainable production at all stages of their supply chain.
Top Pick: We love their V-Fronted Felt Wool Sustainable Slippers, made in a fair trade factory in Nepal from natural wool and suede leather.
8. Feelgoodz
FeelGoodz’s founders launched the brand after discovering the warmth, durability, and natural feel of artisan-tapped rubber in Southeast Asia. Since then, they’ve equipped adventurous travelers will premium footwear that allows them to discover new places in comfort and style.
In all their products, from flip-flops and sandals to sustainable slippers, they aim to strike the perfect balance between durability and comfort, using consciously-sourced premium materials from across the world. FeelGoodz works closely with traditional weavers in Punjab, India, and women-led knitting communities in Nepal to preserve their traditional craftmanship.
Top Pick: Feelgoodz’s versatile Easy Day Slides feature a ultra-soft natural rubber foot bead, artisan-woven strap, and natural rubber outsole with recycled rice husks.
9. Kyrgies
Every pair of Kyrgies is designed with love, drawing on thousands of years of traditional wool craftsmanship. All of the brands’ luxurious and beautifully-shaped footwear is handmade by artisans in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from local wool sourced from sheep that graze the open fields in the valley.
Their brand features a range of wool slippers and shoes for men, women, and children, in refined designs that are also practical and durable. The brand is working to become carbon neutral and is a member of 1% for the Planet, donating a portion of their profits to environmental projects.
Top Pick: If you want your little one to enjoy sustainable comfort too, check out Kyrgies’ Tengries Walkabouts, available in sizes toddler 12.5 to kid’s 2.5.
10. AURA QUE
Aura Que designs its entire eclectic range of knitwear, accessories, ceramics, jewelry, and footwear with integrity. Their handcrafted products are made in timeless designs that are built to last, and the brand cultivates lasting relationships with their producers.
This brand collaborates with talented artisans in Nepal and showcases their beautiful artisan traditions in all their designs. Their products are made from sustainable local materials such as banana fiber yarn and lokta paper.
Top Pick: Aura Que’s MITA Eco Felt Mule Slippers are individually handcrafted from 100% natural wool with a hard-wearing leather suede sole.
11. Thought
Thought believes in responsible fashion, from ethically and responsibly sourcing their materials to environmentally-friendly manufacturing processes and fostering change in the industry. The brand is on a mission to make sustainability accessible and fun for all with clothing, footwear, and accessories that are not only sustainable, but also chic and fashionable.
They make their products from eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, hemp, tencel, modal, and recycled fibers in ethical factories, and many of their pieces are GOTS and Fair Trade Certified.
Top Pick: Their Yoko wool women’s Siberian slipper is perfect for curling up on chilly winter evenings, with premium Irish wool and non-slip sole.
12. Muffle-Up
Canadian brand Muffle-Up offers high-quality, handmade merino wool sustainable slippers built around the philosophy of sustainable fashion. These range from hand-crocheted baby and kids’ booties to durable crochet house slippers for adults.
They emphasize eco-friendly materials including reclaimed fur and leather, and sustainable manufacturing processes. Muffle-Up’s range of footwear, accessories, and homewares are also ethically-produced, all made by hand in Ontario.
Top Pick: Their unisex Classic Slipper is hand-crocheted from merino wool with a durable leather sole and is available in a range of sizes and styles.
Opt for sustainable slippers if you can
This is a crucial time for planet earth. We’re facing critical environmental threats – from pollution and deforestation to eutrophication and global warming. As the future becomes more uncertain for the coming generations, it is essential that we opt for responsible products, from what we wear on our feet to the houses we live in.
The best sustainable slippers are made from eco-friendly materials like plant-based leathers, natural wool, and recycled fabrics, as well as being produced sustainably and ethically. Many of the brands listed here also support worthy social and environmental projects.
For more eco clothing, beauty and home inspiration, take a look at our guides to organic face masks, vegan handbags, and eco-friendly cotton comforters.
