Your Big Guide To Ethical Sandals & Flip-Flops In The UK

From ethical walking sandals and vegan sandals to sustainable and plastic-free flip-flops and more, I’ve got all your UK eco-friendly summer footwear needs covered.

Wondering about ethical shoes? I’ve got all the details on ethical shoes and even sustainable trainers. And with the sun having been positively shining lately, it’s the perfect time to talk about ethical sandals and other summer footwear, like flip-flops.

But I get to the brands, it’s important to bear in mind that sustainability is a complex and nuanced subject. There’s no official definition, and the term means many different things to different people.

Particularly, when it comes to footwear, people have different priorities when it comes to the materials used. As such, this guide has been designed to be a helpful starting-off point for you to help find the most sustainable option for you.

Guide To Ethical Sandals

Here are my top picks for ethical sandals and flip-flops this summer. From sandals made from vegan-friendly and/or recycled materials, to those that can be remade into new shoes, and even plastic-free flip flops, I’ve got you covered!

Bear in mind that sandals, like shoes, are notoriously difficult to make ethically. This is due to the numerous components that go into making them. As such, options are limited, and you probably won’t find a sandal that ticks 100% of your own particular ethical boxes. Instead, you may have to exercise a degree of compromise.

The price range key for this guide is £ = Under £50 | ££ = £50 – 100 | £££ = £100+

Birkenstock

• Price range: £ – ££
• Vegan options available

Way way back in 2006, I saved up for ages to buy a pair of Birkenstocks (from £50 at Schuh), and they were the best footwear investment ever.

I practically lived in them every summer until 2022, making them my ultimate cost-per-wear champions. No other shoes or sandals have lasted me as long or felt as comfy. I then bought a replacement pair in summer 2023, and I’m still wearing the same pair in 2026.

I always feel that Birkenstocks are the opposite of fast fashion. They don’t conform to specific trends. However, the thing that makes Birkenstocks ethical and sustainable is that the main component it uses is cork.

What’s so special about cork? Cork is as eco-friendly as it gets. They don’t chop down a single tree to get it. Instead, skilled harvesters gently peel off the bark from cork oak trees, letting the cork grow back and keeping the forest intact.

Birkenstock makes all of its footwear in Germany and even goes the extra eco-mile by offering a handy repair service. I’ve also heard good things about The Boot Repair Company, which repairs Birkenstocks, if you don’t want to send your shoes back to Germany.

Sandals are available in vegan leather or actual leather. Their vegan range is 100% animal-free and rigorously tested.

One point to note is that Birkenstock’s vegan sandals are made from Birko-Flor, which appears to be made from PVC-based plastic. PVC is not the greenest choice – in fact, it’s been labelled as “The Poison Plastic“. However, leather has its own set of ethical and environmental challenges, so there are trade-offs to be made.

---

Camper

• Price range: £ – ££
• Vegan options available

Camper has been quietly upping its eco-game by using more and more recycled materials and eco-friendly fabrics.

As well as that, they’ve also launched some circular styles that can be remade into new products once you’re done with them.

At the moment. Camper’s circular range is small, but the good news is that it does carry a range of fully recyclable sandals as part of this collection. This includes the Kobarah sandals (pictured above). When you’re done with them, they can be returned to Camper, who will then turn them into new shoes, as part of its ReCrafted Collection.

---

TeVa

• Price range: £ – ££
• Vegan options available

Many years ago, I had a pair of TeVa walking sandals (available at Schuh or directly from TeVa), which I adored. They were so comfortable. But after I wore them out, I switched to Birkenstocks, swayed by their sustainability credentials.

Back then, TeVa wasn’t doing so much sustainability-wise. But in the last 20 or so years since I last wore their sandals, TeVa has been working hard to minimise their impact on the environment. They’ve cut down on water use, cut down on waste and packaging, and increased their use of recycled materials in their sandals.

In 2020, just by transitioning all their sandal straps to traceable, verifiable recycled plastic, TeVa says it has diverted a massive 24 million plastic bottles from landfills.

Now, TeVa’s got a heap of walking sandals, sandals, and flip-flops to choose from. Not all of them are vegan-friendly, but there are heaps of vegan styles available.

---

Natural World

• Price range: £
• Fully vegan range of sandals

The Natural World range of sandals (available at Ethical Superstore) is a great option if you are looking for vegan-friendly, sustainable sandals.

Some options are made from recycled rubber, whilst others are made from a combination of sustainable materials. This includes organic cotton, cork, and recycled rubber. And the recycling doesn’t just stop there – each pair comes packaged in a recycled cardboard box.

These are all made in Spain – benefiting from stringent EU labour laws. Plus, it has the benefit that they’re made closer to home.

---

Worzl Flip Flops

• Price range: £
• Fully vegan range of sandals

Finally, are you looking for plastic-free and vegan flip-flops? Step forward Worzl ethical flip flops (available at Not On The High St.), available in seven different colours.

Many flip-flops on the market today are made from petroleum-based rubber and plastics. However, Worzl flip-flops are different. They’re handmade using 100% natural rubber at the Worzl workshop in Wiltshire. This means they don’t contain any plastic or animal-derived ingredients whatsoever. Amazing.

Which Ethical Sandals Should I Buy?

I find footwear to be the trickiest aspect of an ethical wardrobe. Therefore, when it comes to ethical sandals, it’s no easy matter. Any new shoe or sandal will take a toll on the earth.

What to choose depends on whether you value plastic-free products or whether you value vegan and cruelty-free products more.

If it’s too tricky to choose, then ask if flip flops could fulfill your footwear needs. Or, for the ultimate eco-friendly and ethical option – ask yourself, do you actually need to buy a new pair of sandals? Could your existing pair of sandals be repaired? I always find this the best starting point before buying something new.