Cutting emissions by 20% in four years: how Crocs made decarbonization work

What if the path to carbon neutrality ran through one of the world’s most iconic plastic shoes? Crocs, a Sweep customer, chose to transform its business model and the results speak for themselves.

Category: Blog

Last updated: February 16, 2026

The challenge: transforming 80% of raw materials

Each year, Crocs sells around 150 million pairs of shoes. Nearly all of them are made from Croslite, a proprietary ethylene vinyl acetate material known for its comfort. The challenge? It accounts for 80% of the company’s material sourcing and is derived from fossil fuels.

The goal was clear: replace half of this plastic by 2030 with bio-circular alternatives without compromising comfort. In practice, Crocs turned to recycled cooking oil and byproducts from the paper industry as new feedstocks.

The results that matter

In just four years, the carbon footprint of a classic pair of Crocs dropped by 20%, reaching 2.02 kg of CO₂.

The long-term targets are ambitious:

By 2030: a 50% reduction
By 2040: full carbon neutrality

The key driver: change leadership at the top

Deanna Bratter, Crocs’ Chief Sustainability Officer, did not arrive by chance. After 17 years at Danone, where she led its B Corp certification, she joined Crocs in April 2022 as the company’s first-ever CSO.

Her strength? Breaking down silos.

Rather than working in isolation, her seven-person sustainability team is embedded directly within operational teams across design, sourcing, and manufacturing.

“We have to reach every part of the business,” she explains. “That’s how real change happens.”

The playbook behind Crocs’ success

Reuse existing processes

Recycled cooking oil was chosen because it could replace fossil-based plastic without changing production lines. No major investment. No downtime. No complex retraining.

Create supplier competition

With 314 suppliers, Crocs built a diversified network including partners already committed to climate action and specialists in bio-circular materials. While many alternatives are more expensive at first, expanding the supplier base helped drive costs down.

Bring designers in early

Sustainability is not an afterthought. Designers work hand in hand with the sustainability team from the earliest stages of product development.

Rely on third-party certification

Crocs uses ISCC certification to verify its bio-circular claims, ensuring traceability and avoiding greenwashing through rigorous audits.

A clear message

“We’re not telling consumers, ‘If you can afford sustainability, buy this,’” says Deanna Bratter.

“We’re saying it matters, so we’re improving every shoe. Period.”

Decarbonization is not a constraint. It is a driver of innovation that can reshape business models from the inside without sacrificing quality or affordability.

This article is based on the interview published in Trellis

Sweep can help

Sweep is a carbon and ESG management platform that empowers businesses to meet their sustainability goals.

Using our platform, you can:

Conduct a thorough assessment of your carbon footprint.
Get a real-time overview of your supply chain and ensure that your suppliers meet your sustainability targets.
Reach full compliance with the CSRD and other key ESG legislation in a matter of weeks.
Ensure your sustainability information is reliable by having it verified by a third party before going public.

See how we can help you on your sustainability journey

Book a demo