Over the last two decades, Crocs have risen from a niche clog to one of the most popular footwear brands in the world. Their colorful, lightweight resin shoes have been embraced by people of all ages for their comfort and versatility. However, the ubiquity of Crocs has raised questions about their environmental impact. As consumers become more eco-conscious, many are wondering – are Crocs bad for the environment?
At first glance, the durable synthetic material that Crocs are made from seems like it would be difficult to break down and recycle. There are also concerns about the raw materials and manufacturing processes used to produce millions of pairs of shoes each year. However, Crocs have been working to improve the sustainability of their products and business practices.
In this in-depth article, we will examine what Crocs are made of, how they are produced, and the various aspects of their environmental footprint. Looking at the full lifecycle and brand initiatives provides a more complete picture of how Crocs affect the planet. While they may not be the most eco-friendly shoe, they may not be as bad as some assume.
What are Crocs made of?
The key to understanding the environmental impact of Crocs is knowing what they are made from. Crocs are made from a proprietary closed-cell resin called Croslite. This foam material is what gives Crocs their trademark soft, lightweight and non-marking qualities.
1. Croslite Material
Croslite is a unique foam resin exclusively made by Crocs. It is neither rubber nor plastic, though it contains some polymer materials. The closed-cell structure and polymer composition give it several beneficial properties:
- Lightweight and flexible
- Soft and comfortable
- Doesn’t absorb water or odors
- Mold and bacteria resistant
- Durable and long lasting
These characteristics are what has made Croslite so popular for casual, beach, and even workplace footwear. The material is soft but supportive, and stands up to heavy use without breaking down.
Croslite was first developed in the early 2000s as Crocs sought to create the perfect material for their shoes. The recipe has been refined over the years but still remains a proprietary trade secret. The raw materials that go into Croslite and the process of combining them results in a uniquely functional, foam-like resin.
2. Manufacturing Process
While the exact formula is a mystery, we know the basic manufacturing process used to turn raw materials into finished Croslite shoes. The primary method is injection molding. This high-volume production method is common for shoes, toys, containers, and other products made from thermoplastics.
Here are the main steps involved in creating Crocs via injection molding:
- Raw polymer pellets are gravity fed into a hopper
- The pellets are heated until they become liquid plastic
- The molten plastic is injected under high pressure into mold cavities
- The molds are cooled until the plastic solidifies into the molded shape
- The Crocs are removed from the mold halves
- Finishing processes are applied as needed
This automated cycling of melting, molding, and cooling allows millions of near-identical Crocs to be pumped out very efficiently. Injection molding is advantageous for high-volume production because of:
- Highly repeatable process
- Ability to reuse molds
- Minimal secondary processing
- Low relative production costs
- Minimal material waste
The end result is that Crocs can be mass produced at scale using a fast, cost-effective manufacturing method. This has been key to their growth into one of the most recognizable footwear brands.
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Environmental Impact
Now that we understand the primary ingredients and manufacturing process, we can analyze the environmental footprint of Crocs across their lifecycle. This includes the impact of raw materials, manufacturing, transportation, use, and disposal.
1. Raw Materials
The raw polymers used to produce Croslite resin originate from crude oil, natural gas, and other fossil fuel feedstocks. Like all plastics, these non-renewable resources must be extracted and refined to create usable plastics resin.
Some key environmental impacts from material extraction and transportation include:
- Air and water pollution
- Ecosystem disruption from drilling and mining
- Fossil fuel depletion
- Greenhouse gas emissions
The synthetics used in Croslite are also not as readily biodegradable or recyclable as natural materials like leather, rubber, or cotton. However, many other popular shoe materials share these drawbacks of being derived from non-renewable resources.
Crocs are working to reduce their dependence on fossil fuel-based materials through partnerships with bio-based polymers suppliers such as Dow. The company has also set a goal to make 100% of their materials from recycled or bio-based sources by 2030.
2. Manufacturing
Injection molding uses substantial amounts of energy and water compared to hand production, but is relatively efficient for large-scale manufacturing. Producing a single pair of shoes via injection molding emits around 5 kg of CO2 equivalent emissions.
Some ways Crocs is reducing their manufacturing environmental impact:
- Switching to renewable energy sources
- Recycling water used for manufacturing
- Reusing/recycling 45% of production scrap material
- Eliminating industrial waste sent to landfills
Using injection molding also minimizes material waste because the molds can be reused consistently, unlike material-cutting processes. Crocs claims less than 1% of the raw Croslite material ends up as waste.
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3. Use Phase
Once manufactured, Crocs are distributed globally and worn for years by customers. The primary environmental impact during the use phase is the emissions from transporting the lightweight shoes worldwide.
However, Crocs have relatively low impacts compared to other shoe types because:
- Extremely durable – lasts for years
- Made from a single material – reduces waste
- Lightweight – reduces transport emissions
- Machine washable – reduces laundering impacts
The durability and long lifespan of Crocs means fewer resources are used over time to replace worn out shoes. Their versatility also allows some customers to replace multiple shoe types with a single pair of Crocs.
4. Disposal
One of the biggest environmental disadvantages of Crocs is that they are not readily recyclable or biodegradable. Croslite cannot be broken down through standard mechanical or chemical recycling. And the synthetic material persists in landfills for hundreds of years without decomposing.
This creates a few key disposal problems:
- Landfill accumulation
- Toxicity if burned
- Pollution if landfilled material escapes
However, Crocs has partnered with recycling organization TerraCycle to recover used Crocs. Consumers can mail in worn out Crocs or drop them at designated collection points to be recycled. The Crocs are shredded and melted into raw material for new products like playgrounds and bike racks.
While not a complete solution, this program diverts millions of Crocs from landfills annually and helps recover some of the raw material value.
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Sustainability Efforts
In recent years, Crocs has focused increasing effort on improving the sustainability of their products and business practices. Some of their key initiatives include:
1. Net Zero Emissions Goal
Crocs aims to reduce and offset their emissions until they reach net zero by 2030. This includes emissions from materials, manufacturing, transportation and company operations. Their strategies include:
- Using 100% renewable electricity by 2025
- Improving manufacturing and distribution efficiency
- Investing in carbon removal offsets
- Replacing high-emission materials with renewables
They have already reached net zero emissions from their company operations. But manufacturing and materials changes will be needed to fully eliminate their impact.
2. Bio-Based and Recycled Materials
As mentioned above, Crocs is collaborating with material suppliers to introduce bio-based polymers that rely on plant sugars rather than fossil fuels. These materials have near-identical properties to traditional Croslite but with a smaller environmental footprint.
They are also increasing their use of recycled plastics rather than virgin plastic resins. At least 10% of all Crocs are made from recycled materials, and they hope to reach 50% by 2030.
3. Vegan Certified Products
In 2021, Crocs transitioned to using no animal products whatsoever across their product line. This included eliminating the small amount of leather used for some shoe parts and accessories.
This move allows Crocs to guarantee all products are 100% vegan-friendly. They were certified by Vegan.org after eliminating any trace animal materials.
4. Conservation and Donations
To help counteract resource use and pollution, Crocs also directly funds conservation projects. Over the past decade they have contributed over $50 million to organizations like the UN Foundation and World Wildlife Fund.
They also routinely donate unsold shoes and scrap material to organizations that reuse or repurpose the items. This keeps millions of pairs of Crocs out of landfills annually.
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Credit: www.gq.com
Writer’s Opinion
In my opinion, while Crocs have areas that need improvement, they are making impressive strides towards sustainability. Most fashion brands rely heavily on leather, cotton, rubber, and other natural materials. The environmental impact of producing these at scale is often overlooked.
Synthetic polymers have downsides, especially when it comes to end-of-life disposal. But Crocs’ investments in renewable materials, efficient manufacturing, and product recovery programs show they are taking responsibility for reducing impacts.
No company is perfect, and all products have tradeoffs. But I think Crocs is ahead of the curve compared to other fashion and footwear brands. As consumers, we should applaud companies that publicly set sustainability goals, report progress, and collaborate with partners to implement meaningful improvements.
Rather than vilifying Crocs as an environmental scourge, I think we should support their continued efforts to enhance the renewability, efficiency and responsibility of their products and operations. They likely still have a long path ahead, but seem committed for the long run.
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FAQs
Are Crocs completely plastic free?
No, Crocs still contain plastic polymers, even those labeled as “eco-friendly”. The synthetics are derived from plant materials instead of fossil fuels, but the materials are functionally similar to traditional plastics. Completely plastic-free Crocs may not be possible given the product’s design and function.
Can I recycle my old Crocs?
You cannot currently recycle most Crocs through standard municipal recycling programs. The exception is Crocs made from their new bio-based polymers, which can be recycled where #5 plastics are accepted. For traditional Crocs, your best option is to donate them via the Crocs recycling program to be shredded and reused.
Do Crocs contain toxic chemicals?
There are no known toxic chemicals in standard Croslite material. Crocs are free from PVC, BPA, phthalates and other potentially harmful ingredients. The resin formula itself is proprietary but has been independently verified as non-toxic.
How long do Crocs last?
With proper care, most Crocs will last 5-10 years or more. The Croslite material is very durable and won’t readily break down through normal wear. Maintaining Crocs by cleaning regularly and avoiding heat exposure will maximize their lifespan.
Are there more eco-friendly shoes than Crocs?
Some small shoe brands use renewable materials like bamboo, cork, latex and upcycled textiles to create products with a lower environmental footprint. These can be pricier though and lack Crocs’ scale and universal comfort. When it comes to mainstream brands, Crocs is comparably eco-friendly to canvas, rubber or leather shoes.
Conclusion
While Crocs have been criticized by some as an eco-villain, the reality is much more nuanced. Traditional plastic and polymer materials create problems when it comes to end-of-life disposal and recycling. However, Crocs’ have sustainably produced their iconic shoes for two decades, bringing joy to millions of wearers.
Through efficiency improvements, material innovations and closed-loop recycling, they are working to reduce their environmental footprint. Crocs will likely never be a zero-waste product – the functionality relies on durable synthetics. But they seem to genuinely care about doing better rather than making empty promises.
So are Crocs bad for the environment? They have downsides but are steadily improving across the product lifecycle. I believe we should applaud brands that acknowledge impacts and strive to create products we love in responsible ways, even if progress can seem slow. We need more companies to follow their lead.
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