Over 100 million pairs of Crocs are sold each year. However, comfort and convenience aside, many consumers, especially environment-conscious ones, are confused about whether those clogs put a strain on Earth, as they simply “look plastic.” Let’s explore what Crocs are made out of to understand their impact on the environment!
In this article:
What Material Are Crocs Made Of?
Crocs footwear is made of many types of materials, but they’re all forms of plastic. In particular, the brand relies on Croslite material, which is PEVA or polyethylene vinyl acetate in essence – a type of plastic. However, unlike normal PEVA, Croslite material is infused with gas to make it foamy, allowing for more comfort when wearing.
If you check on the Crocs website, you might encounter these three main types of material:
- Croslite compounds (accounting for 80% of the products): They are closed-cell foam, meaning they’re built in a single piece with no holes that no air or water can seep in.
- Literide material: This is a kind of foam resin with an amazing shock-absorbing property. Literide is 40% softer and 20% lighter than the signature Croslite.
- Reviva material: This is simply Crostile foam, but it’s designed with massage bubbles on the surface to provide extra comfort.
Still, remember that all of them are plastic at their core.
Are Crocs Recyclable And Biodegradable?
Unfortunately, Crocs footwear is neither recyclable nor biodegradable. Its plastic material hinders these clogs from being recycled because most recycling facilities don’t accept closed-cell resin. The closed and uniform structure makes it challenging to break down, requiring advanced technologies to process. Similarly, this material is immune to microbial decomposition, so it can’t dissolve naturally.
The good news is that Crocs has shown its effort in sustainable development by running recycling programs. In particular, if their old clogs are still in good shape, customers can bring or send them to any US Crocs store. These used, gently worn Crocs will then be reconditioned and delivered to Soles4Souls, a non-profit organization, to help those in developing countries. In return, customers will receive a 10% discount for every eligible pair of shoes.
Is Crocs A Fast Fashion Brand? Will It Switch To More Sustainable Materials?
Considering its attempt to embrace more eco-friendly materials, Crocs is not a fast fashion brand. As of 2024, there was at least 25% bio-circular content in its exclusive Croslite material. The brand affirms that all of its bio-based material is certified by ISCC PLUS, so we can rest assured about its quality. Crocs also aims to increase the percentage of bio-circular content to 50% by 2030.
A 2024 report by Crocs revealed that the company has cut down the carbon footprint to produce a pair of Classic Clogs by 6.1% compared to 2021, releasing only 2.02 kg of carbon dioxide emission. We can expect this number to drop even more when Crocs integrates 50% of bio-circular materials into its Croslite compounds.
See more: What Are Orbeez Made Of? Are They Bad For The Environment?
