Which Material Is Best for Slippers? A Comparison of PVC, EVA, and PU

March 21, 2025

In daily life, slippers can be said to be one of the most common and most easily overlooked necessities. Whether in home life, hotel rooms, bathrooms, outdoor places, slippers play an irreplaceable role. And one of the core factors that determine whether a pair of slippers is good to wear and worth purchasing is – the material.

Currently on the market common slippers material mainly includes PVC, EVA and PU, each material has its own unique advantages and disadvantages, applicable to different scenes of use and consumer groups. So, in the end, which material is most suitable for your business or customer needs? This article will start from a professional point of view, the three mainstream slippers material for a comprehensive analysis, to help you make a wise choice.

Table of Contents

PVC Slippers

Advantages:

Soft material: although PVC is a plastic material, but its softness is high, wearing will not have a stiff or hard foot feeling, suitable for daily light use.
Plasticity: PVC has excellent processing performance and can easily make various patterns, shapes and designs, suitable for customized production.
Good anti-slip effect: PVC surface has strong friction and is not easy to slip, especially suitable for bathrooms, swimming pools, hotels and other slippery floor scenes.
Not easy to stick dust: PVC surface is smooth, dust and dirt is not easy to adhere to, easy to clean.
Inexpensive: compared with EVA, PU and other materials, PVC has more advantages in raw materials and production costs, it is a cost-effective choice.

Disadvantages:

General durability: the uppers and soles of PVC slippers are easy to rupture or aging after long-term wear or high-frequency use, especially in high temperatures or direct sunlight, the life expectancy is shorter.

EVA Slippers

Advantages:

Soft shock absorption: EVA has excellent elasticity and cushioning performance, walking on the soles of the feet of the impact is small, wearing more relaxed.
Comfortable to wear: close to the foot, good resilience, not easy to fatigue, especially suitable for long time wearing.
Light weight: EVA density is small, the whole pair of slippers is very lightweight, easier to transport and carry, suitable for travel or home spare.

Disadvantages:

Relatively poor anti-slip: in the smooth ground or slippery environment, EVA’s grip is not as strong as PVC, easy to slip phenomenon.
Slightly higher price: due to its excellent physical properties, EVA is usually slightly more expensive than PVC.

PU Slippers.

Advantages:

No abrasion, high comfort: the PU material is soft and smooth to the touch, there is no scratching sensation when the upper is in contact with the foot, suitable for long time barefoot wearing.
Best quality: PU material structure is stable, wear-resistant soles, uppers are not easy to crack, is the best quality choice among the three materials.
Appearance is more advanced: PU material has a strong texture appearance, commonly used in high-end indoor slippers or fashion brand slippers.

Disadvantages:

Less breathable: PU material is closed, not breathable, easy to lead to stuffy feet, sweating, not suitable for people whose feet are easy to sweat.
High price: as a high-end material, PU has a high cost and is not suitable for the low price wholesale market.

Summary of the Comparison of the Three Materials

Item	PVC slippers	EVA slippers	PU slippers
Softness	Medium	High	High
Anti-slip	Strong	General	General
Breathability	General	Good	Poor
Durability	General	Good	Best
Price	Low	Medium	High
Suitable for people	Commercial, promotional	Home, leisure，brand customization	High-end customers, brand customization

Which Material Best Suits Your Needs?

Which slipper material to choose depends on your actual needs:

If you pursue cost control, applicable to mass market or commercial scenarios, then PVC slippers are the ideal choice;
If you need comfort, lightweight and daily home wear, EVA slippers are more worthy of consideration;
If you position high-end customer groups or brand customization market, PU slippers will be more in line with your pursuit of texture and experience.

Professional PVC/EVA Slippers Manufacturer–Mingyi

If you are looking for a trustworthy slipper supplier, Mingyi will be a choice you can’t miss.

Mingyi is a professional manufacturer focusing on PVC & EVA slippers manufacturing with years of industry experience, providing wholesale customized service and supporting OEM/ODM business. Whether you are a brand owner, wholesaler, or a hotel, superstore or chain organization, Mingyi can provide you with professional one-stop customized solutions.