Disclaimer: Okabashi sent me this product to review, however I am under no obligation to do so nor to make the review positive. This review reflects my personal opinion about this product.
I've been a Crocs wearer for a number of years. They aren't an "all-day" wearing kind of shoe, but rather just a simple tool I use for short term needs. I have an old pair in my basement workshop that I slip on if I am doing anything in there for longer than a minute or so and I have another pair by the front door that I slip on when I go get the mail or the paper.
So when I was contacted by Okabashi asking me if I wanted to try out a pair of their low-cost, 100% recylable "dishwasher-safe" shoes, I said "sure!"
The model I tried out was the Men's Okabashi Torino style shoe, pictured in this image. The funny thing about this review is that unfortunately it has been a couple of months in the making. I've had the shoes sitting on my desk for the last two months waiting for me to get around to trying them out and writing about them.
But that doesn't mean I wasn't getting any feedback – my daughter would occasionally slip into them while I was working, doing a little jig dancing around the room. I knew she was a fan but I still hadn't tried them out myself.
Tech Specs
Before I share my opinion on the shoes, here are some important technical details:
Okabashi is a family-owned business who for 25 years has been making shoes in the USA that are good for you and for the planet. They believe their shoes are better than the others in three areas:
For your Well-being:
- Superior arch support
- Massaging insole
- All day comfort
- Anti-Microbial Agent
- Anti-Slip
- Endorsed by the ACA
For the Environment:
- Made in Buford, GA
- 100% recyclable
- Contain 25% recycled material
- Zero-waste manufacturing process
- Vegan-friendly
For your Pocket:
- Starting at only $14.99
- 2-year guarantee
- Durable
My Opinion
I'll admit that my primary draw to these shoes are their low cost and the fact they are durable and dishwasher-safe. While I'm sure some people care that they are "vegan friendly" (what the heck does that mean for a SHOE anyway??), that just isn't me. Having sat next to these shoes for a couple of months I'll tell you that the scent coming of the recycled material of these shoes is actually pretty good. I've come to enjoy it and will miss it once I put these shoes on the shoe rack where they belong.
The Torino model that I chose to review was in the end probably not the best for me try because I have EEE wide (read, fat) feet that had to squeeze into these shoes and that made them more uncomfortable then they should have been. I loved the solid feel of the shoes, and as mentioned, the fact that I could give these shoes a beating (mowing the lawn, perhaps?) and then throw them in the dishwasher is pretty cool.
If you are looking for a low-cost alternative to Crocs that are comfortable, recyclable, dishwasher safe (not to mention vegan friendly!) then I would recommend this company.
Check out the wide variety of shoes at Okabashi.
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