Just What Is a Croc Made Of, Anyway? (And How Safe Is It?)

Warm weather means warm-weather gear. I’m currently fielding questions about and eyeing the least toxic/most natural alternatives for everything from beach toys to charcoal to bug sprays to weatherproof outdoor furniture. One thing I’m currently having some trouble finding the right alternative for is shoes, specifically shoes that can go from sidewalk into playground sprinkler to beach and back to sidewalk. I want them to hold up in water and I don’t want them to degrade when sun/sea/sand particles start to beat them up so that they’ll be leaching whatever material or dyes they’re made of onto (blistered, sometimes scraped) little baby toes.

There’s one big contender in this category and it’s one most parents seem to choose. When the weather heats up, all little feet seem to be sporting Crocs. But what are these colorful cushy things made of? Good question. The company didn’t email me back with an answer when I inquired. Which is never a good sign. Maybe my credentials aren’t fancy enough to write back to? Maybe they’re made from something they’d rather not share?

In the absence of direct response, I resorted to research. Their site says: “Think Crocs are made of rubber? Your friend is adamant they're plastic? You're both wrong. Crocs are made of PCCR, a closed-cell material that virtually eliminates odour. No one will clear a room with smelly feet if they are wearing a pair of Crocs. The material also discourages sweating, making Crocs even more comfortable.” A quick Google reveals nothing, as PCCR is some sort of “proprietary” blend Crocs makes, likely a petroleum-derived foam. (Read Treehugger’s take, or Debra Lynn Dadd’s.

Croc knockoffs like the ones made by iPlay are made of EVA plastic, which is a lot better than the PVC/vinyl most jelly shoes are constructed from. I wasn’t able to find any sort of study that said anything about plastics leaching via scraped bitty toes into bitty bodies.

And what if you want to avoid plastic altogether? Good luck. It’s beyond difficult to find shoes that don’t contain some plastic and can withstand playground sprinkler water as well as salty spray. If you’re not anti-leather, one way to avoid a little plastic is to look into Saltwater Sandals. The uppers are leather, the soles are made of urethane and they’ve been around for many many years. They’re also – if this matters to you – a lot more attractive than ubiquitous Crocs. Many moms I know wore them as children and they remind me of the Stride Rite sandals I wore summer after summer as a kid – really cute.

Some shoes market themselves as better for the environment. Surf over to PlanetShoes.com. (One giant caveat: as always, read carefully to see what the shoes are actually made of. There are PVC waterproofs on this site.) They carry some options made (partially) from recycled plastic from the brand Mion. Maybe hipster Brazilian brand Melissa (yes they’re PVC and injected with something to make them smell “better,” but they’re also recycled) will make kiddie shoes soon? Even better, email the people at eco-friendly brand Simple Shoes and tell them to make some kids water shoes!

If anyone else has found good summer sandal alternatives, please let me know.