Which barefoot shoes have no plastic in the sole, the glue, the laces or the lining?
Short answer: we can't find a plastic-free barefoot shoe we can verify. Every candidate we checked had a plastic part beyond a small seal, or one we could not confirm. The list below says which.
No barefoot shoe is listed yet. We've checked one so far, the RHIZAL Brio slip-on, and we can't vouch for it: it's undyed hair-on calfskin over a cow leather lining with a water buffalo leather sole, and the maker says there's no synthetic rubber-plastic outsole. What nobody says is whether the leather carries a topcoat, or what the insole, the thread and the glue are. Those are the places plastic hides in a shoe like this, so it stays unlisted until the maker answers.
Side by side
Every barefoot shoe we checked, and what kept each one off the list. The full evidence for each is one click away.
| Rank | Photo | Materials | Packaging | Price seen | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Checked, not listed | |||||
 | RHIZAL Brio Slip-On, Cowhide (Mens) Cannot tell | ||||
| pure copper | Not verified yet | Not linked | A major part is unverified | ||
Where plastic hides in barefoot shoes
"Natural" and "eco" turn up on barefoot shoes more than on any other footwear, and the sole is where to check. A thin flexible sole is synthetic rubber, EVA foam or polyurethane, and a sole called only "rubber" has not said which. Natural latex is the plastic-free one. Uppers are polyester or nylon mesh and microfiber, linings are polyester mesh, and insoles are EVA or polyurethane foam; cork, wool felt and leather are the swaps. Soles are cemented on with polyurethane or neoprene glue and sewn with nylon thread. Laces are polyester with plastic aglets, and some toe boxes hold a thermoplastic cap.
What to check before you buy
- Sole: natural latex or crepe rubber named as natural, or just "rubber", EVA or polyurethane?
- Upper: leather, wool, cotton or hemp, or mesh and synthetic leather?
- Leather finish: unfinished, oiled or waxed, or a coated top layer?
- Lining and insole: leather, wool, cork or cotton, or foam and mesh?
- Glue: natural latex, hide or starch, or an unnamed cement?
- Thread and laces: cotton, linen or leather, or nylon and polyester with plastic aglets?
- Stiffeners: none, or a thermoplastic toe cap and heel counter?
Know of one?
If you make or own a barefoot shoes with no plastic in it, including the seal, tell us: chairman@amaterio.com. Send the maker's page and what the seal is made of. We vet every tip and publish the ones that hold up, with credit.
Checked and not listed
- RHIZAL Brio Slip-On, Cowhide (Mens)
Cannot tellHair-on calfskin upper, cow leather lining, a water buffalo leather sole and a copper earthing plug. That's the whole materials list, and the maker says the shoes have no synthetic rubber-plastic outsole, which is a good start. The open question is the leather: finished leather often carries an acrylic or polyurethane topcoat, and undyed isn't the same as uncoated. Nobody states the finish on the upper, the lining or the sole. The insole, the stitching thread and the glue aren't named either, and all of them sit against your foot.