Sustainable Slippers: 11 House Shoes That Help Save Our Shared Home Image by Sustainable Jungle #sustainableslippers #bestsustainableslippers #ecofriendlyslippers #ethicalslippers #sustainablejungle
Image by Sustainable Jungle
Sustainable Slippers: 11 House Shoes That Help Save Our Shared HomeImage by Sustainable Jungle#sustainableslippers #bestsustainableslippers #ecofriendlyslippers #ethicalslippers#sustainablejungle
Image by Sustainable Jungle

11 Sustainable Slippers & House Shoes That Keep Our Toes Eco-Conscious

Sustainable slippers are here to warm our feet without warming our planet.

So just in time for mercury to drop the mic on the Northern Hemisphere, we slid down the ethical shoe brand rabbit hole to look for ethical and eco-friendly slippers.

We started out by asking, where can you buy sustainable slippers? 

With a plethora of unsustainable options and greenwashing, this search was a rather slipper-y slope.

Fortunately, these ethical house slippers have us feeling particularly cozy about snuggling next to the fire with our favorite sustainable blanket.

Everything we recommend to you on Sustainable Jungle is independently researched and we ask all brands to confirm their claims. To avoid waste, we test products on an as needed basis. This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission. Learn more about why we do this here.

The Most Sustainable Slippers For Men & Women

At the tippy-top (or should we say tippy-toe?) of our list is Kyrgies, a Climate Neutral Certified maker of slippers using natural materials, that also sends their waste wool to be used as extra slipper padding or building insulation. 

We’re also wooly excited about Baabuk’s ethical felt slippers. The Certified B Corp helps you keep your feet toasty using traditional techniques and providing fair wages to Nepalese artisans. 

Then there’s Dooeys for their high-quality vegan slippers made of recycled materials that keep feet warm and our planet cool.

Before we shuffle onward, excuse us while we SLIP into something a little more sustainable. More on how we picked these brands at the bottom or in our video below.

1. Baabuk

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Images by Sustainable Jungle

About Baabuk’s Sustainable House Slippers

Price Range: $49—$89

Family-owned Baabuk was inspired by a gift of felted Russian Valenkis.

Founders Galina and Dan realized they were the most comfortable things they had ever worn and attempted to recreate them—which resulted in something that “looked more like a sheep that had wandered through a car wash”.  

Fortunately for all of us, they upped their slipper game and now their ISPO Gold award-winning wool shoes and slippers are available all over the world. 

In addition to organic slippers, they also offer men’s and women’s shoes (think sneakers and hightops).

For slippers made to keep your feet ultra warm, we can’t recommend the Mel Slippers enough. While incredible lightweight, the soft and non-itchy wool keeps our feet super warm—which is saying something, considering we live in a tiny house on a minimally skirted trailer in a location where it’s not uncommon to drop well below 0 in the winter.

Baabuk’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices

Materials:

Like other sustainable men’s shoes, their uppers are made with felted natural New Zealand ethical wool (read: from where mulesing is outlawed, we know the sheep are shorn kindly).

The cushioned soles are courtesy of a blend of sustainable materials: cotton and wool. 

The outsoles are natural latex rubber attached with eco-friendly glues and finished with hand-stitching for long-lasting wear.

Or, if you opt for the speciality Pomobuk line, the soles are made by reusing manufacturing offcuts from POMOCA freeride and ski mountaineering skins.

Supply chain & labor practices:

Baabuk produces everything by hand in their scratch-built workshop in Nepal where workers are provided with fair working conditions and a 25% higher salary than the national average.

Since job opportunities in Nepal favor men, Baabuk employs mostly women artisans. 

Their other wool shoes are made in Portugal using Portuguese mulesing-free sheep wool (raised in a protection park in the country).

They’ve been a Certified B Corp since 2016, and their current score of 89.6 is almost 40 points above the median for businesses of their class.

Carbon commitments & green practices: 

The wool used in Baabuk’s comfy slippers is washed with recycled water so the soap doesn’t pollute local rivers. Soap and water are the only things used to process the wool.

To keep your Baabuk slippers, slip-sliding for longer, they offer a repair kit and replacement soles. 

Community & charitable giving:

Through the Miss Baabuka project, Baabuk partners with the Swiss organization ProSpecieRara to work toward the conservation and expansion of six rare sheep breed populations.


2. Nootkas

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Image by Nootkas

About Nootkas’ Eco-Friendly Indoor Slippers for Men and Women

Price Range: $84—$89

Nootkas finds joy in the simple things—and what footwear better represents that than sustainable wool-lined slippers?!

Which is why Nootkas and natural materials go together like warm ethical slippers and a pair of organic cotton pajamas.

They offer either slides or slip-on felted wool house slippers and shoes for men and women.

If you want to go extra sustainable, the Astoria Slippers are entirely biodegradable slippers!

Nootkas’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices

Materials:

The Astoria slippers are made with Merino, a mulesing free wool from New Zealand.

The other sustainable house shoes are made with locally-sourced Mongolian Merino wool.

Both are paired with a soft, vegetable-tanned suede outsole that isn’t recommended for outdoor use.

The slippers come in a few color options, including Heather and Slate, which are made with 100% natural, uncolored, dye-free wool. 

The soles and other color options are colored using non-toxic, azo-free dyes. 

Supply chain & labor practices:

Nootkas cruelty-free wool is sourced from New Zealand (where mulesing has been banned) and from nomadic sheep herders in Mongolia, who rely on sheep for their livelihood. 

Dyes are sourced in Switzerland, the natural rubber from Siberia, and the suede from India.

They partner with Fair Trade Certified factories in Nepal and Mongolia that are engaged in ethical labor practices: living wages, gender-equal pay, medical benefits, and a retirement plan. 

Carbon commitments & green practices: 

Not only are all Nootkas slippers made by hand without machines, the Nepalese factory is powered entirely by solar.

No wastewater is discharged into the environment during the felting process. 

These sustainable wool slippers are designed for the long haul—they feature reinforced stitching and coarse fibers that naturally lock together for greater durability. 


3. Kyrgies

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Images by Sustainable Jungle

About Kyrgies‘ Men’s, Children’s and Women’s Slippers Sustainable 

Price Range: $79—$129

You can kit your entire family out with the sustainable wool slippers from Virginia-based Kyrgies

The women’s and men’s sustainable slippers range is bright, beautiful and impressive, and includes natural wool loungers, slip-ons, high back slippers, slides, woven house shoes, and ankle-high varieties. 

Also available for men and women, the Tengries Walkabouts are Kyrgies’ eco-friendly slippers for toddlers and kids. 

Some styles are for exclusive indoor use, but most are great for indoor/outdoor wearability (just note they aren’t waterproof).

Whenever we want to slip into something more comfortable, we reach for our very own pair of the Kyrgies Classic Wool Slippers. With an easy slip-on design that fits snuggly enough to not fall off, these high-quality slippers feel like they’re giving your feet a constant a warm hug.

The felt sole is non-slip but it isn’t weather-resistent, so be sure to wear these around the house only.

Kyrgies’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices

Materials:

Kyrgies uses mostly, chemical-free natural felted wool, but the indoor slippers also have a synthetic fabric felt sole with silicone grips. 

Other slippers, like the Tengries and Kyrgies Naturals, have a bit of elastic blended into the fabric and natural leather soles (tanned without chrome and chromium) for durability.

You can purchase additional insoles made via “nuno-felting”, which gives the wool substantial shape and support capability.

The soles are made from vulcanized rubber or vegetable tanned leather.

The All Naturals house shoes range features wool made with just water, natural soap, and low-impact dyes. It’s paired with a chrome-free leather suede sole. 

Supply chain & labor practices:

Kyrgies’ handmade wool slippers start with the free-range, mulesed-free, carefully tended sheep of Kyrgyzstan, where people believe treating sheep respectfully brings good luck.

These sheep are sheared only in summer, so they have plenty of warmth through the cold winters. 

From there, the wool is felted or carded into slippers in a factory in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan using traditional craftsmanship

Fair wages are paid and the factories employ mostly women to give gainful employment opportunities in communities where these are few and far between.  

Carbon commitments & green practices: 

The wool is only processed with water and vegetable based soap.

All scrap wool is recaptured and used as extra padding in the Tengries, or as building insulation.

Kyrgies encourages customers to buy and sell gently used sustainable home slippers on their Treet store.  

The company is also Climate Neutral Certified.

Community & charitable giving:

Kyrgies joined 1% for the Planet the very first year they opened. They support One Tree Planted, Earth Guardians, and the International Rescue Committee.


4. Allbirds

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Image by Allbirds

About Allbirds’ Best Sustainable Slippers

Price Range: $65—$75

Allbirds is one of our favorite ethical sneaker brands (tried and tested and much appreciated!).  

But when you’re inside, why not slip into their eco-friendly men’s slippers: the Wool Dwellers

For any-season wearing, they’ve also got men’s and women’s Wool or Tree Loungers, which come in a variety of muted colors and have flexible soles so they can be worn inside and outside.

In addition to sustainable slippers for women and men, they’ve also got sustainable kid’s shoes and slippers. Every pint-sized pair of slippers is available in sizes 5T to 3Y. 

For inside comfort and ethical warm slippers, check out the Wool Loungers Fluffs and their new Wool Dweller slides, both of which look like clouds for your feet.

Allbirds’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices

Read our deep dive on Allbirds’ sustainability, otherwise here’s the summary.

Materials:

The Tree Loungers feature TENCEL Lyocell uppers made from FSC-certified eucalyptus trees. 

The Wool Loungers swap lyocell fabric for 17.5 microns superfine ZQ Merino wool. 

The outsoles are made of Proforest-certified Brazilian sugarcane SweetFoam, the world’s first carbon-negative EVA. All byproducts go toward powering the mill and fertilizing future crops.

Both also have cushioning midsoles made of mostly castor bean oil. 

Their sustainable men’s slippers, the Wool Dwellers, reuse wool scraps (60%) and blend them with 40% GRS-certified recycled polyester. The outsoles are FSC-certified natural rubber.

Supply chain & labor practices:

Aside from being assembled in WRAP-certified factories of South Korea, Vietnam, and China, this Certified B Corp sources from only the best.

The merino wool comes from fairly treated sheep in New Zealand, before it’s spun into fiber at Europe’s only European Commission certified sustainable wool mill in Milan, Italy.

The lyocell is from FSC-certified and rainfall-fed South African eucalyptus farms that take 95% less water to grow.

Carbon commitments & green practices: 

Allbirds is 100% Carbon Neutral certified. 

Nothing goes to waste with them. “Every box deserves a second chance”, so you’ll receive your ethical slippers in 100% recycled cardboard packaging.

In addition to using sustainable and recycled materials, Allbird’s will be using 100% regenerative agriculture for their wool by 2025. 

Community & charitable giving:

Allbirds donates lightly used, returned shoes to communities in need through Soles4Souls.


5. Dooeys

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Images by Sustainable Jungle

About Dooeys’ Recycled Slippers

Price Range: $140

Dooeys‘ main focus is crafting comfy recycled shoes for around the house. Oh, and making sure they’re stylish!

The woman-owned company makes sustainable women’s slippers and does so in three main styles: loafers, mules, and sandals. 

Did we mention they’re also 100% vegan?

We tested out the House Mules and what we love about these sustainable house shoes is that they can actually be used for much more than that.

With a durable hard outsole and cork molded footbed, these surpisingly supportive minimalist indoor/ outdoor slides are also perfect for padding around the garden or even making a quick trip to the grocery store.

Dooeys’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices

Materials:

From big toe to pinky toe, the eco-friendly materials are 100% plant-based or recycled. 

These include vegan leather from apple scraps (upper), recycled polyester vegan suede (upper), recycled plastic bottles (lining), organic cotton (lining), cork (insole), sugarcane (outsole), and coconut fiber husk (footbed).

Joining recycled foam and rubber, these natural materials come together to form a lightweight, arch-supported shoe that can be worn outside the house, too.

Supply chain & labor practices:

The Dooeys design stage happens in Amsterdam before the slippers are ethically made in Portugal (a mecca for well-made footwear).

Carbon commitments & green practices: 

The vegan sustainable slippers are made in small batches before being shipped (carbon offset, of course!) in recycled packaging.

Carbon offset shipping is used. 


6. Aura Que

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Image by Aura Que

About Aura Que‘s Sustainable Slippers

Price Range: $63—$75

Aura Que brings together the design expertise of Laura Queening and artisan talent from small producer groups in Vietnam and Nepal. 

While their men’s and women’s eco-friendly winter slippers will keep your toes toasty, it’s how they’re made that will really warm your heart. 

With two styles (slip-on and ankle-high boots) and several different colors, any pair of feet will be happy in Aura Que’s fair trade slippers.

Aura Que‘S Ethical & Sustainability Practices

Materials:

All slippers are made of 100% hand-felted raw sheep wool uppers, inside sole padding, and buffalo leather suede soles. 

The gray, brown, and cream colors are completely natural, while azo-free dyes are used for the other colors. 

Supply chain & labor practices:

The wool is mulesing free and is combined with buffalo suede that’s been sourced from a small family tannery in Kolkata, India. 

Then, the handmade slippers are hand-felted by women’s co-ops in Kathmandu, Nepal. The artisans receive free training, an education allowance for their children, flexible working hours, and regular pay increases. 

All producer groups are World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) certified.

Carbon commitments & green practices: 

The leather tanning chemicals are contained and reprocessed in an on-site water treatment facility. 

Once the ethical at-home slippers are soaked in soapy water, naturally dyed, and hand-felted, they’re dried in the sun. 

Leftover wool fabric is reused in Aura Que’s zero waste knitwear range. 


7. Muffle Up

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Image by Muffle Up

About Muffle Up‘s Unisex Environmentally Friendly Slippers

Price Range: $45—$139

Canadian company Muffle-Up! makes eco-friendly house slippers that look more like giant eco-friendly socks than anything (with a longer-lasting bottom). 

Choose from a variety of funky colors and styles, including ankle-high slippers, demi boots, and mid-calf boots. 

If dull winter days have a you down, the Red Padraig Slippers are sure to bring a little brightness and cheer to your day.

Aside from their unisex sustainable, shearling-lined slippers for adults, they make adorable eco-friendly baby booties and toddler slippers, too.

Muffle Up’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices

Materials:

These sustainable slippers feature non-itch (or itch-free) Merino wool yarn, sheep’s fur lining (up-cycled from vintage fur coats), and reclaimed leather or suede soles. 

Prioritizing recycled materials helps them remain “respectful of our use of animal products”. 

Supply chain & labor practices:

Based in Perth, Ontario, every pair of slippers is handmade in Canada on unceded traditional Algonquin territory. 

The Merino wool is ethically sourced from Australia.

Carbon commitments & green practices: 

In their studio, they maintain a zero waste policy, meaning that any fabric scraps get reused in production or are donated to community art projects.


8. Bure Bure Slippers

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Image by Bure Bure Slippers

About Bure Bure Slippers’ Ethical Wool Slippers

Price Range: $43—$103

Bure Bure Slippers’—Etsy shop owner—Inga is crazy about shoes and handmakes slippers at “Forestsheep” her own organic farm in Lithuania. 

Her eco-friendly wool slippers are available in men’s, women’s, and unisex slip-ons, clogs, booties, and slippers.

The dainty and minimalist Lace Booties are so cute, you’ll almost rue never being able to show them off out in public!

Child eco-friendly slippers are on offer, too. 

Bure Bure Slippers’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices

Materials:

The shop’s own farmed wool is the primary material, which is sometimes paired with sustainably sourced alpaca wool.

You can opt for soles made from handmade recycled leather/suede and cork (not waterproof), or caoutchouc rubber.  

If you’d prefer eco-friendly slippers with natural latex, go with the latter. 

Supply chain & labor practices:

The infertile land at “Forestsheep” is perfect for sensitive Skudden sheep, which she organically breeds to help out with the wool side of sourcing.

Twice a year, the cruelty-free wool is sheared before being carded and turned into felt on-site. 

In addition to her own farmed wool, some is purchased locally and abroad. 

Everything is made by hand, slowly. 

According to Inga herself, “Our business will never grow too big. This is not our aim. I think we just chose to work so that we could live, not to live so that we could work.”

Carbon commitments & green practices: 

“Forestsheep” also engages in recycling and because they only begin the felting process after an order is confirmed, a lot of waste is avoided. 

The wool is processed sans harmful chemicals, and instead moistened with warm water and natural olive soap. 

The slippers are sent in a handmade linen bag. 


9. Rawganique

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Image by Rawganique

About Rawganique‘s Sustainable Slippers Made In The USA

Price Range: $48—$89

Between adventure-ready shoes and organic slippers, Rawganique can(nabis) is certainly out-of-step as compared to the conventional, but in a good way. 

For minimalist wardrobe wins, Rawganique’s sustainable canvas slippers are ethically made, toxin-free and multipurpose.

While you could catch us lounging around in any of them, their unixex TOKYO Organic Cotton House Slippers and OREGON Unixex Organic Hemp Clog Sandals are perfect as indoor and outdoor sustainable slippers. 

Rawganique’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices

Materials:

Rawganique’s use of sustainable materials is impressive and includes organic cotton, linen, and organic/conventional hemp. 

And along with other hemp shoe brands, their non-toxic slippers are paired with rubber soles, so they’re actually vegan and biodegradable slippers, too.

The eco-friendly slippers are either natural, unbleached, and dye-free or colored with low impact, biodegradable fiber-reactive eco-dye. 

There are many glue-free and elastic-free versions, too.  

Supply chain & labor practices:

The natural materials are grown in the EU and the USA, never in China or India (which may be good news for those aware of the GOTS-certified controversies).

You can keep your feet warm and your heart warmer knowing that all Rawganique products (including their warm vegan gloves) are also made in sweatshop-free ateliers in the USA or Europe. 

Carbon commitments & green practices: 

Rawganique was founded by off-grid island homesteaders; so they know a thing or two about sustainability. 

They keep their operations small so that they can know exactly what goes into their products—which never includes dioxins, formaldehyde, PFAS, PFOA, plastic, and other toxins. 

Community & charitable giving:

The sustainable slippers USA brand has been homesteading on Denman Island and living on raw organic foods for 20+ years. 

They use their platform to share tips and stories of their experiences with a simpler, more sustainable life. 


10. Chilote

Sustainable Slippers: 11 House Shoes That Help Save Our Shared Home Image by Chilote #sustainableslippers #bestsustainableslippers #ecofriendlyslippers #ethicalslippers #sustainablejungle
Image by Chilote

About Chilote‘s Sustainable Slippers for Men, Women, and Babies

Price Range: $55—$86

How does “warm feet, happy soul” sound to you?

Pretty darn good, we’d say. And that’s the feeling you’ll get from the adorably earthy Chilote house shoes. 

Between baby slippers and three unisex adult slipper styles: salmon leather slippers, organic leather and wool slippers, and raw wool slippers, we’d wear them all if we could.

These loose cable-knit wool slippers scream, “Netflix and chill (to the planet)”. So start planning that environmental film marathon!

Chilote‘s Ethical & Sustainability Practices

Materials:

Chilote’s most sustainable slippers are their raw wool slippers, which are made with nothing more than raw Patagonian sheep wool.  

Both designs have leather soles, which strive to be as sustainable as leather can be. 

Sure, you’ve heard of ethical sheepskin slippers—but what about ethical salmon skin slippers?

Chilote’s are made of upcycled vegetable salmon leather, made from fishing industry byproduct salmon skin.  

Their others feature saddle leather soles organically tanned using vegetables.

Supply chain & labor practices:

Everything is slow-crafted by hand using locally sourced Patagonian sheep wool.

More than 50 female artisans make the slippers—often in their own homes. They’re paid 43% more than even the region’s average fair wage. 

Scan the QR code on the tag to learn exactly #WhoMadeYourSlippers.

Carbon commitments & green practices: 

Each pair of sustainable slippers includes a repair kit of extra wool thread and salmon skin.

The best sustainable slippers, after all, are those that can be worn for a looooong time. 

Their eco-friendly materials for shipping are simply plastic-free, reusable tubes.

Community & charitable giving:

Climate Positive Certified B Corp, Chilote offsets its footprint through a partnership with Fundación Reforestemos, an organization that plants native trees in Patagonia.


11. Xanthe Anna

SustainableSustainable Slippers: 11 House Shoes That Help Save Our Shared Home #sustainableslippers #bestsustainableslippers #ecofriendlyslippers #ethicalslippers #sustainablejungle Images by Xanthe Anna Slippers: 11 House Shoes That Help Save Our Shared Home Image by Xanthe Anna #sustainableslippers #bestsustainableslippers #ecofriendlyslippers #ethicalslippers #sustainablejungle
Images by Xanthe Anna

About Xanthe Anna’s Sustainable Slippers UK

Price Range: $106

Are you between sizes? 

Frustaining to say the least (we know). But stress not, because Xanthe Anna adds a personalized touch that very few offer.

Based in Wales, the woman-owned company specializes in unisex and made-to-order (and even custom fit!) Sheepskin Slipper slides and above-ankle booties.

The best sustainable slippers, after all, aren’t mass produced and are designed to fit well enough for decades of use. 

Xanthe Anna’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices

Materials:

These eco-comfy slippers are made with sheepskins that are a by-product of the meat industry. 

The heels are strong and made with vegetable tanned leather. 

The lightweight, flexible, robust soles are made with 60% recycled material and can be worn indoors and outdoors. 

To finish and reinforce the boots/slippers, organic hemp is used. 

As the cherry (cross-stitch?) on top, the thread is 100% recycled and made from plastic bottles.

Supply chain & labor practices:

The sheepskin currently comes from Australia, but Xanthe Anna is working with suppliers to source eco-tanned British sheepskin. 

It does, however, come from sheep that have been raised humanely in accordance with internationally accepted standards regarding hunger, discomfort, pain, normal behavior, and fear. 

The boots and slippers are made in a slow fashion manner, in Wales. 

Carbon commitments & green practices: 

The eco-tan sheepskin is tanned using natural biological tanning agents that are associated with minimal chemical, energy, and water consumption. 

It’s been awarded a Gold Standard by the Leather Working Group. 

Xanthe Anna also offers removable and replaceable innersoles to extend the life of their boots. They’re made with eco-tanned sheepskin and latex. 

Keep an eye on this brand: they’re working towards using vegan leather made from cork, pineapples, mushrooms, and recycled materials. 

Community & charitable giving:

Xanthe Anna was a Llais Cymru Women in Business Awards 2022 winner. 

The brand is also a member of the Green Growth Pledge, which conveys their commitment to positive actions to reduce their carbon footprint and impact on the environment. 


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What Are Sustainable Slippers?

We’ve stomped around in sustainable heels, sustainable boots, and sustainable running shoes all the while finding out exactly how wasteful and problematic the footwear industry really is.

About 300 million pairs of shoes get thrown away every year—and that’s just in the US.

That’s not even considering the waste created from buying those shoes. Like the fact that some soles might take more than 1,000 years to decompose in a landfill.

Slippers are just another component of this incredibly wasteful subsection of the fashion industry. 

Most slippers are cheap, made with PVC-based foam with a short lifespace that flattens after just a couple of wears. 

So now we know what not-so eco-friendly slippers look like, what are sustainable slippers then?

They’re slippers made in an environmentally conscious way with (most often) natural materials that can be returned to the earth after their useful life—but there are some caveats with the two most common slipper materials.

Wool slippers:

  • Sheep need occasional shearing to stay healthy, so wool as an animal byproduct is not inherently wrong. 
  • But it’s crucial the sheep have good lives (free-range), they’re shorn in warm weather only, and their skin isn’t damaged in the process.
  • The good news is that, free of dangerous chemicals, wool can biodegrade in as little as 3-4 months.

Leather slippers:

  • They either support the greenhouse gas belching livestock industry or worse, don’t come from meat industry byproducts, needlessly killing over 1 billion animals a year.
  • Leather is processed via a chemical tanning process (up to 250 chemicals required), which is incredibly dangerous both for the environment and for the workers in charge of performing the task.
  • Even if it’s natural, leather can take hundreds of years to break down.

As we’ll explore below, materials just scratch the surface (sole?) of our favorite pair of ethical moccasin slippers.


How We Found The Best Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Slippers

You might now be wondering how we differentiated between legit brands and brands that are really just a wolf in Merino clothing. 

As with all our fashion brand guides, we used our deep dive into sustainable and ethical fashion for the selection process:

Materials: 

As low impact as possible, ideally occurring naturally in nature and organically processed so they can fully biodegrade to compost in the end. 

Sustainable fabrics such as lyocell, organic cotton, hemp fabric, jute, bamboo fabric and linen always have a leg (or foot?) up in our book.

That’s why we often prioritize vegan shoe brands.

Among natural materials, wool uppers still dominate the slipper sphere, so how can we make sure it’s ethical wool?

First, we aim for Merino wool, which is finer and softer than other wools except for ethical cashmere and the like.

Plus, Merino sheep often come from New Zealand, known for its ethical animal treatment.

For insoles and cushioned soles, look for natural felted wool and, better still, cork fabric. Both are temperature regulating and antimicrobial (AKA odor resistant).  

The best outsole material (if there are outsoles at all) is natural rubber/latex, which is a renewable resource harvested by harmlessly tapping the latex of the tree (like maple syrup).

If the outsoles are leather, we tried to make sure it was either recycled or vegetable-tanned leather. Ethically sourced as a byproduct of the meat industry is even better. Or of course, vegan leather.

And finally, recycled synthetic fabrics were also used effectively by ethical slipper brands on this list. 

Supply chain & labor practices: 

Human rights violations are a big issue in the fashion industry, so the best ethical slippers and the companies that make them don’t contribute in any way to this. 

Remember the slow fashion rule of thumb (or big toe): transparency is key and slower is better (read: handmade slippers).

It’s also better when slippers are made in ways that adhere to fair trade principles (living wages, safe work environments, etc.), and rely on evidence and third-party certifications. 

Carbon commitments & green practices: 

The best eco-friendly slippers come from brands that go the extra mile. 

Companies reducing their environmental impact, whether it be through funding carbon offset programs, using water-saving/recycling practices, shipping in recycled and plastic-free packaging, repurposing waste, or manufacturing with renewable energy are some of the practices we applaud.

Community & charitable giving: 

Brands that give back and/or cultivate an empowered, caring community are our faves. 

Many of these slipper companies are so small and specific that they weren’t involved in any charitable activities. We didn’t discount these brands but hope this changes as they grow.


Final Thoughts On Ethical Slippers

There’s nothing better than cozy slippers. 

Scratch that—eco-friendly slippers really contribute to happy feet. 

That’s why we dipped our toes into brands offering the best sustainable slippers. 

If nothing else, we hope that it shows that you can be comfy and conscious when you eco-zify your entire on-the-couch outfit with a trifecta worth wearing: ethical slippers, sustainable sweatpants, and organic cotton robes. 

Feel free to spread the warmth by passing this article along to your favorite earth-conscious homebody or someone who always has cold feet (and not the wedding jitters kind).

Pin these:
Sustainable Slippers: 11 House Shoes That Help Save Our Shared Home Image by Bure Bure Slippers #sustainableslippers #bestsustainableslippers #ecofriendlyslippers #ethicalslippers #sustainablejungle
Sustainable Slippers: 11 House Shoes That Help Save Our Shared Home Image by Dooeys #sustainableslippers #bestsustainableslippers #ecofriendlyslippers #ethicalslippers #sustainablejungle

6 thoughts on “11 Sustainable Slippers & House Shoes That Keep Our Toes Eco-Conscious”

  1. Love the article. Interested in all these companies as I to am constantly looking to shop with eco friendly people. Thank you for the in-depth information.

    Reply
  2. I bought freewaters based off this article, & they came with an unrecylable piece of plastic garbage, the thing that they use in stores to hang shoes up instead of keeping them boxed. Why would they even send that when the slippers came in a box? Just a weird unnecessary random piece of garbage coming from a supposedly eco conscious company. I sent a message to them to ask if I should recycle it or compost it & when they told me it was garbage I asked that question & they never answered me…

    Reply
    • Hi Kate, thanks so much for letting us know. We’re obviously not able to try every brand ourselves (as that would mean so much unecessary consumption) so we really do appreciate getting feedback like this from our readers. I’ve made a note to our team to remove this brand. We will action that in the next short while. Thanks again.

      Reply
  3. Hi,
    This article is fantastic and I am SO grateful for the work you are doing to make this information available! :)))
    Jenny

    Reply

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