Discover slippers that are both comfortable and eco-friendly! As the days grow shorter and the morning air cooler, a warm pair of slippers will make getting out of bed so much easier. We’ve rounded up our top picks from small, ethical brands that are good for you and the environment.
Baabuk
What they say:
For slippers, they obtain wool from New Zealand without mulesing, and its water/soap-washing process is eco-friendly since the water is reused and not dumped into nearby rivers.
Baabuk, a B Corp certified company, meets global non-profit organization standards for social and environmental performance, as well as how they affect workers, community, environment and customers. They achieve this by providing beneficial workplace conditions, 25% higher wages than the national average, and employing more women than men (14 to 3). Additionally, they guarantee no children are employed.
As a B Corp certified company, Baabuk meets the global non-profit organization’s exacting guidelines for social and environmental performance as well as for how their company’s operations and business model impact their workers, community, environment and customers.
Our Pick: Mel Khaki
The reviews are in on these Swiss designed slippers as comfortable as an old sock, convenient to slip into, a slipper to cherish.
BureBure Slippers
What They Say:
Tired of constantly stepping on the back of your slippers? The Backless wool slippers collection will let you put on and take off the shoes effortlessly.
Independent wool felting artists supporting zero waste & friendly sheep breeding
In order to save Earth’s resources, they start the felt-making process only after the order is confirmed.
The bottoms are felted wool mules with a layer of natural latex that makes woolen footwear non-slippery.
**They also offer woolen bedding for your pets as well as the best wool & supplies for wet felting.
Our pick: Cinnamon Turquoise backless slipper
Wool insulation properties help you feel warm on a cold day and cool on a hot day while felted shoes massage the feet. During these days of pandemic re-emergence, who doesn’t want to come home to a slipper that helps overcome pain, stress, psychological problems. Pressing the right foot points can improve the bloodstream, reduce inflammation, tiredness.
Kyrgies
What They Say:
“All of our house shoes have been made using low-impact dyes and are chemical-free, while our Tengries use a thicker, vegetable tanned leather on the sole — a tanning technique that avoids highly toxic chromium that can leach into and pollute waterways. As a result, our leather provides a thick, cushioned layer that adapts to your feet for absolute comfort.”
“What’s more, through our commitments to 1% for the Planet and Carbon Neutral, we go out of our way to minimise our environmental impact, all while maximizing the positive social impact of adopting fair-trade practices at our factory in Kyrgyzstan.”
Our pick: Outdoor Walkabouts (but if you’re looking for an indoor only shoe, they’ve got that, too!)
Made from large sheets of wool felt that is cut and hand sewn into shape, they’re far softer and more pliable than their rolled felt house shoes. With the non-slip rubber soles and elastic sewn into the fabric, they’re designed to adapt snugly to your feet, all while still allowing you to pull them on with ease. The result? Shoes so cozy they’ll be like a warm hug all the way up to your ankles.
Toast
Toast is a great “go to” for slippers this winter. We waffled between their Babbi’s and their Birks (who knew Birkenstocks was now making slippers!) and you should check out both but…we landed on the Babbi’s because:
What They Say:
BABBI only works with certified tanners respecting noble materials and resources. The VEG line is treated chrome free, without additives and is vegetable tanned. Carefully selected artisans with respect for the environment deliver high quality products. Each pair reflects nature’s serenity and inspires a similar feeling of daily equanimity and comfort at home.
Our pick: Babbi Charentaise Slippers
All we know is once on, you’re not going to take these ones off! Beautiful and practical, soft and sublime (confession, we occasionally wear them outdoors because, well, why not?)
Baabushka
What They Say:
Handmade by artisans in Nepal using traditional crafting techniques, Baabushka’s superbly cozy felt booties are made with sheep’s wool, water, and organic soap. The result is soft yet durable footwear that provides wonderful warmth and comfort.
Committed to fair trade and fair employment. It takes half a day to create one pair of slippers. When you buy Baabushka slippers, you too are supporting high-paying, fair trade jobs for Nepali women.
For every purchase you make, Baabushka donates a portion of the total sale to Global Citizen, a non-profit that works around the world with the goal of ending extreme poverty.
Our pick: Wool Bootie with Leather Soul
The bootie conforms to the contours of your foot and comes up past your ankle, ensuring a comfortable fit that doesn’t slip off. While felted wool is gentle on your feet. It naturally insulates, yet allows your skin to breathe, which means you can enjoy wearing your Baabushka booties year-round.
Mahabis
What they say:
Their latest all-season slipper ‘curve,’ was made in collaboration with Bigagli, a 50-year-old mill North West of Florence, Italy.
The advanced recycling technology uses ReWoolyTM felt which is Global Recycling Standard certified and contains at least 50% recycled wool fibers from clothing that would have headed to landfill.
This process creates a fabric that looks exactly the same as freshly sheared wool and harnesses the opportunities of a circular economy as these fibers are reused. t
This wool is organic, certified by the European organic certification organisation EcoCert. The wool is certified non-mulesed which means that the shearing of the wool does not negatively impact the health and well-being of the sheep
Our pick: the mule
created in our innovative curve design, the upper is made from unbelievably soft recycled Italian wool. the footbed is covered with a soft touch microfibre that provides a whole new level of comfort and cushioning. they are also lined with 100% wool for an added dose of luxury.
Muffle-Up!
What they say:
At Muffle-Up!, we mix the new with the reclaimed to create the best eco friendly slippers in Canada.
With quality and conscience in mind, all slippers are made by hand with reclaimed leather soles, repurposed sheep’s fur lining, and the softest Merino wool yarn.
By repurposing fur and leather, it gives new purpose to something out of date while remaining conscious and respectful of their use of animal products.
And weighting a primacy of Land Acknowledgment their products are handmade on unceded traditional Algonquin territory in the town of Perth, ON, Canada. With this acknowledgement they respect the land, people and history of the territory.
Our pick: Cape Cod blue merino wool house slipper.
Because of the all-natural materials, these slippers breathe well, keeping feet comfy without overheating. And quite frankly, we love how quirky they look.
–KL Dunn
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