Discarded Flip-Flops Used To Create One-Of-A-Kind Art That Cleans Up Oceans and Gives Back
Andrea Powell
Billions of flip-flops end up in landfills or on coastlines around the world, but one social enterprise has found a way to turn the discarded shoes into stunning works of art.
Ocean Sole takes washed-up flip-flops from the shores of Kenya and works with the locals to turn them into beautiful handmade sculptures.
You may be wondering how so many flip-flops are tossed out, but according to Ocean Sole, "Over 3 billion people wear flip-flops as their only pair of 'shoes' in emerging warm-climate countries."
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The art pieces raise awareness to the ongoing pollution problem and help keep our oceans clean of debris. The community benefits through education and employment.
"We aim to recycle a million flip-flops a year and contribute over 10% of our revenue to beach cleanups, vocational and educational programs as well as conservation efforts," states Ocean Sole. Their program helps over 1,000 Kenyans and saves the lives of countless marine animals.
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The idea came to founder, Julie Church, after she witnessed children making toys out of the debris. She then encouraged the Kenyan mothers to make items and sell them at the local market for extra income.
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The process of turning the dirty old shoes into art begins with locals collecting the discarded flip-flops and selling them to Ocean Sole. Then the shoes are washed and sorted before heading to the artists. The "bonded" flip-flops are then carved into various animals by local artisans and finished off with sanding to make them nice and smooth. The pieces of art are sold around the world to consumers who are known as "solemates".
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Each sculpture is unique thanks to the array of colors from the flip-flops and because each one is carved by hand. Ocean Sole believes that burning or burying debris is not the answer, but instead chooses to up-cycle and encourages others to do the same.
They sell sculptures in all sizes and for every $20 you spend, Ocean Sole collects and up-cycles 146 pounds of ocean trash. Meet one of the artists and watch the process in the video below.
Learn more about this innovative company by visiting their website.
