Question from Vicki in Oregon
Hi Debra Do you know anything about Okabashi Shoes
Debra’s Answer
Just looking at their website it says:
It’s great they are made from recycled material, but recycled doesn’t always mean nontoxic.
I called their customer service and left a message, but I’m not hopeful they will tell me the plastics or the anti-microbial agents.
This is the type of product I reject because it’s made of unknown materials that might be toxic in general and there are no specifics.
If I get an answer from them, I will post it here.
I also was unable to learn anything about the toxicity question of Okabashi shoes. Does anyone know how Crocs measure up in toxicity? I need shower shoes for daily use, and Okabashi and Crocs are the only brands I have found that make sandals with few or no seams. If anyone knows of shower sandals without seams or other areas where mildew tends to grow, Ide appreciate that info. By the way, the two types of Okabashi flip flops i bought were both rather uncomfortable, esp the ones with a little heel.
COMMENT FROM DEBRA:
Read about Crocs here: Q&A: Are Crocs shoes safe?
This summer I bought flipflops from planetflops http://www.planetflops.com/. They are made of 100% natural rubber (latex) in Brazil, supposedly under good working conditions, some fair trade/small business support project (according to the website). I don’t know if natural rubber would grow mildew if it dries after showering. But I can confirm that they are the first flipflops I own that do not smell AT ALL when I first took them out of their box. And when they are really worn out I can cut them up in small pieces and throw them on the compost. When you look at them on their website they don’t look any different than the cheap smelly plastic ones you can buy everywhere. But in real they look and feel completely different.
I know they are more expensive, but Kenkoh sandals are made of latex and I don’t believe they are treated with any anti-microbial agents.
COMMENT FROM DEBRA:
I couldn’t find anything about what Kenkoh sandals are made from, not even a phone number I could call.
I have some ten year old Okabashi cross strap sandals that I wear all the time, and I don’t ever recall them smelling–at least not for very long. But they started to wear out so I ordered a new pair from their web site. They smelled so strong when they arrived that I had to put them on the back porch in the sun to offgas. That was about six months ago! Every once in a while I check them, but the odor has not stopped. I’ve washed them with dish soap, but that didn’t help either. Very disappointing because I really like their shoes. I don’t know if it is the antimicrobial stuff or if they changed the other materials they used, because the new ones also seem a bit “stickier”, i.e. more “rubbery” feeling.
http://www.happyfeet.com/Kenkoh.aspx
The part touching your foot is natural rubber /latex, the sole is EVA. I have also seen them sold on ebay and internationally so not sure if you would have more luck finding a number to call there.