Today’s inspiration comes from Pope John Paul II’s 1987 homily from his Mass for the Rural Workers: “The earth will not continue to offer its harvest, except with faithful stewardship. We cannot say we love the land and then take steps to destroy it for use by future generations.”

Earth911 inspirations. Post them, share your desire to help people think of the planet first, every day. Click to get a larger image.

The post Earth911 Inspiration: Faithful Stewardship of the Earth appeared first on Earth911.

https://earth911.com/inspire/earth911-inspiration-faithful-stewardship-of-the-earth/

Slip into style this season with a pair of sustainable and ethical sandals from one of these conscious brands.

This sustainable sandal guide has any type of footwear you need for warmer weather! Think eco-friendly vegan sandals, recycled and natural rubber flip flops, fair trade slides, and ethical walking sandals.

What Are (More) Sustainable Sandals?

Oof. The word “sustainable” is a bit of a loaded term that comes with a lot of confusion and difference of opinions! I actually try to stay away from using the word sustainable when it comes to products, since pretty much no product is sustainable, even if it was made with some lower impact and eco-minded processes. But that’s the language most people use, and I want this content to be accessible and discoverable.

With that said, here are some sustainability criterion you’ll want to look for when it comes to footwear like sandals:

Quality and Materials

Footwear is probably the hardest category in fashion to find eco-friendly materials for, because shoes require considerable functionality and durability. Virtually no footwear right now is recyclable (with the exception of a few brands). So durability is even more important for shoes than clothing when it comes to sustainability.

Buying less (which usually requires buying more durable, longer-lasting goods) is a key part of sustainability. This is why I’ve included vegetable-tanned leather sandals, despite some very valid concerns about the sustainability of leather. Good quality leather is long-lasting, durable, and importantly, more repairable.

I have also included plant-based vegan leather alternatives. Most of these do still contain a percentage of synthetic materials. I am a vegetarian myself so buying leather doesn’t quite sit right with me, and I do like to see more alternatives coming to the market since “vegan leather” right now typically means pleather (i.e. plastic). In addition to being made with fossil fuels, many plastic vegan leather items I own haven’t lasted. They’ve simply shedded off after a year or two of wear! Disappointing to say the least.

Personally, I prioritize upcycled leather and secondhand leather so I can get the best of both worlds with durability, sustainability, and animal welfare. However, you might feel uncomfortable buying used shoes, and I totally understand that!

Ethical Production

Way too often, we see workers left out of the sustainability equation. But safe conditions and fair wages are absolutely necessary in a truly sustainable fashion future. People are part of the planet too! So you’ll see next to the Conscious Qualities section by each brand, I’ve added which brands are going above and beyond to ensure supply chain transparency and fair production.

Other Sustainable Practices

Some other sustainability-minded supply chain practices might include:

• Use of renewable energy at manufacturing facilities and throughout the supply chain
• Take-back and resale program
• Repairability of products
• Recycled and biodegradable packaging

Where to Find Sustainable and Ethical Sandals

Without further ado, let’s get onto the brand list! Each brand features a description, a breakdown of their sustainability highlights (called “Conscious Qualities), and a price range key, so you have an idea of which brands fit your budget for your ethical and eco-friendly sandals.

One note on the budget front: don’t forget to consider cost per wear! This is the total cost divided by the number of times you wear an item. If you’re buying a quality pair of sandals that’ll be your go-to shoes for many summers to come, you could be wearing them 300+ times!

Price Range Key: $ = Under $100 | $$ = $100 – $200 | $$$ = $200+

This article features affiliates and partners. As always, we only feature brands that meet high standards for sustainability that we love — and that we think you’ll love too!

1. Nisolo

Nisolo is a B-Corporation is an ethical shoe brand committed to paying living wages across their supply chain. The brand also launched a Sustainability Facts Label, modeled after the nutrition facts label for food products. And Nisolo has shoe reclamation + donation program. NIsolo’s shoes are made from high-quality Leather Working Group-certified leather.

Conscious Qualities: Pays Living Wages, Shoe Reclamation and Donations

Price Range: $ – $$

Check Out Nisolo

2. Rothy’s

The shoe brand that made waves with their ultra comfy recycled flats has a gorgeous selection of sandals, too.

Rothy’s uses recycled plastic bottles for their footwear. While I’m typically not a fan of using recycled plastic in fashion, it can make sense in footwear which necessitates durability (and shoes aren’t as prone to releasing microplastics compared with commonly washed textiles).

Conscious Qualities: Vegan, Recycled Materials, TRUE Platinum certified for zero waste practices

Price Range: $ – $$

Check Out Rothy’s

3. Brother Vellies

Brother Vellies is a Black-owned sustainable accessories brand founded by Aurora James with the goal of celebrating and sustaining traditional African artisan techniques. The brand now sources from artisans around the world who create timeless, quality shoes from conscious materials like vegetable-tanned leathers, recycled tires, hand-carved wood, and natural dyes.

Conscious Qualities: Artisan-Made, Black Woman-Owned, Vegetable-Tanned Leather (not clear if all leather is veg-tanned)

Price Range: $$$ – $$$+

Check Out Brother Vellies

4. Indosole

Indosole creates vegan flip flops from recycled tires, which helps reduce the 1.5 billion tires that end up in the landfill each year while also avoiding the production of new resources. For the uppers of the flip flops, Indosole uses organic canvas, banana leaves, and grass. The B-Corporation pretty much checks the box for every value: sustainable, ethically-made, and vegan! And compared to many other conscious shoe brands, the prices are affordable too.

Conscious Qualities: Ethical Production, Recycled Materials, Vegan

Price Range: $

Check Out Indosole

5. NAE Vegan

Nae is a vegan shoe brand producing sustainable sandals from natural materials like cork and piñatex (faux leather made from discarded pineapple leaves) and recycled materials, such as rubber from car tires. When browsing their selections, note that there are also some synthetic materials used such as OEKO-TEX Certified microsuede which aren’t as ideal.

Conscious Qualities: Vegan, Plant-Based and Recycled Options

Price Range: $ – $$

Check Out Nae Vegan

Bonus: ThredUp (Secondhand)

ThredUp is the ultimate online destination for thrifted fashion — shoes included. You can sort by size, color, and price range among many other filters to find a pair that suits you. I know that not everyone feels comfortable wearing pre-worn sandals, but ThredUp also has some options with tags still on them so it may still be worth browsing through even if you would prefer a pair of sandals that haven’t been worn before.

Conscious Qualities: Sustainable

Price Range: $ – $$

Explore ThredUp’s Secondhand Sandals

You May Also Want to Check Out:

14 Ethical, Eco & Vegan Shoe Brands

Sustainably Handmade Sandals and Slides from Salt + Umber

7 Brands with Sustainable and Ethical Flats

The post 5 Ethical and Sustainable Sandals Brands For Carefree Summer Days appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

5 Ethical and Sustainable Sandals Brands For Carefree Summer Days

Slip into style this season with a pair of sustainable and ethical sandals from one of these conscious brands.

This sustainable sandal guide has any type of footwear you need for warmer weather! Think eco-friendly vegan sandals, recycled and natural rubber flip flops, fair trade slides, and ethical walking sandals.

What Are (More) Sustainable Sandals?

Oof. The word “sustainable” is a bit of a loaded term that comes with a lot of confusion and difference of opinions! I actually try to stay away from using the word sustainable when it comes to products, since pretty much no product is sustainable, even if it was made with some lower impact and eco-minded processes. But that’s the language most people use, and I want this content to be accessible and discoverable.

With that said, here are some sustainability criterion you’ll want to look for when it comes to footwear like sandals:

Quality and Materials

Footwear is probably the hardest category in fashion to find eco-friendly materials for, because shoes require considerable functionality and durability. Virtually no footwear right now is recyclable (with the exception of a few brands). So durability is even more important for shoes than clothing when it comes to sustainability.

Buying less (which usually requires buying more durable, longer-lasting goods) is a key part of sustainability. This is why I’ve included vegetable-tanned leather sandals, despite some very valid concerns about the sustainability of leather. Good quality leather is long-lasting, durable, and importantly, more repairable.

I have also included plant-based vegan leather alternatives. Most of these do still contain a percentage of synthetic materials. I am a vegetarian myself so buying leather doesn’t quite sit right with me, and I do like to see more alternatives coming to the market since “vegan leather” right now typically means pleather (i.e. plastic). In addition to being made with fossil fuels, many plastic vegan leather items I own haven’t lasted. They’ve simply shedded off after a year or two of wear! Disappointing to say the least.

Personally, I prioritize upcycled leather and secondhand leather so I can get the best of both worlds with durability, sustainability, and animal welfare. However, you might feel uncomfortable buying used shoes, and I totally understand that!

Ethical Production

Way too often, we see workers left out of the sustainability equation. But safe conditions and fair wages are absolutely necessary in a truly sustainable fashion future. People are part of the planet too! So you’ll see next to the Conscious Qualities section by each brand, I’ve added which brands are going above and beyond to ensure supply chain transparency and fair production.

Other Sustainable Practices

Some other sustainability-minded supply chain practices might include:

• Use of renewable energy at manufacturing facilities and throughout the supply chain
• Take-back and resale program
• Repairability of products
• Recycled and biodegradable packaging

Where to Find Sustainable and Ethical Sandals

Without further ado, let’s get onto the brand list! Each brand features a description, a breakdown of their sustainability highlights (called “Conscious Qualities), and a price range key, so you have an idea of which brands fit your budget for your ethical and eco-friendly sandals.

One note on the budget front: don’t forget to consider cost per wear! This is the total cost divided by the number of times you wear an item. If you’re buying a quality pair of sandals that’ll be your go-to shoes for many summers to come, you could be wearing them 300+ times!

Price Range Key: $ = Under $100 | $$ = $100 – $200 | $$$ = $200+

This article features affiliates and partners. As always, we only feature brands that meet high standards for sustainability that we love — and that we think you’ll love too!

1. Nisolo

Nisolo is a B-Corporation is an ethical shoe brand committed to paying living wages across their supply chain. The brand also launched a Sustainability Facts Label, modeled after the nutrition facts label for food products. And Nisolo has shoe reclamation + donation program. NIsolo’s shoes are made from high-quality Leather Working Group-certified leather.

Conscious Qualities: Pays Living Wages, Shoe Reclamation and Donations

Price Range: $ – $$

Check Out Nisolo

2. Christy Dawn

Christy Dawn creates swoon-worthy sustainable clothing and accessories — including their elegant recycled leather sandals. The brand’s signature sandal is designed for functionality and versatility. Simple enough to wear for casual outings while elevated enough to rock to weddings and other special occasions.

Conscious Qualities: Recycled Leather, Ethical Production

Price Range: $$

Check Out Christy Dawn

3. Rothy’s

The shoe brand that made waves with their ultra comfy recycled flats has a gorgeous selection of sandals, too.

Rothy’s uses recycled plastic bottles for their footwear. While I’m typically not a fan of using recycled plastic in fashion, it can make sense in footwear which necessitates durability (and shoes aren’t as prone to releasing microplastics compared with commonly washed textiles).

Conscious Qualities: Vegan, Recycled Materials, TRUE Platinum certified for zero waste practices

Price Range: $ – $$

Check Out Rothy’s

4. Brother Vellies

Brother Vellies is a Black-owned sustainable accessories brand founded by Aurora James with the goal of celebrating and sustaining traditional African artisan techniques. The brand now sources from artisans around the world who create timeless, quality shoes from conscious materials like vegetable-tanned leathers, recycled tires, hand-carved wood, and natural dyes.

Conscious Qualities: Artisan-Made, Black Woman-Owned, Vegetable-Tanned Leather (not clear if all leather is veg-tanned)

Price Range: $$$ – $$$+

Check Out Brother Vellies

5. Indosole

Indosole creates vegan flip flops from recycled tires, which helps reduce the 1.5 billion tires that end up in the landfill each year while also avoiding the production of new resources. For the uppers of the flip flops, Indosole uses organic canvas, banana leaves, and grass. The B-Corporation pretty much checks the box for every value: sustainable, ethically-made, and vegan! And compared to many other conscious shoe brands, the prices are affordable too.

Conscious Qualities: Ethical Production, Recycled Materials, Vegan

Price Range: $

Check Out Indosole

6. NAE Vegan

Nae is a vegan shoe brand producing sustainable sandals from natural materials like cork and piñatex (faux leather made from discarded pineapple leaves) and recycled materials, such as rubber from car tires. When browsing their selections, note that there are also some synthetic materials used such as OEKO-TEX Certified microsuede which aren’t as ideal.

Conscious Qualities: Vegan, Plant-Based and Recycled Options

Price Range: $ – $$

Check Out Nae Vegan

Bonus: ThredUp (Secondhand)

ThredUp is the ultimate online destination for thrifted fashion — shoes included. You can sort by size, color, and price range among many other filters to find a pair that suits you. I know that not everyone feels comfortable wearing pre-worn sandals, but ThredUp also has some options with tags still on them so it may still be worth browsing through even if you would prefer a pair of sandals that haven’t been worn before.

Conscious Qualities: Sustainable

Price Range: $ – $$

Explore ThredUp’s Secondhand Sandals

You May Also Want to Check Out:

14 Ethical, Eco & Vegan Shoe Brands

Sustainably Handmade Sandals and Slides from Salt + Umber

7 Brands with Sustainable and Ethical Flats

The post 6 Ethical and Sustainable Sandals Brands For Carefree Summer Days appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.

5 Ethical and Sustainable Sandals Brands For Carefree Summer Days