Fabulous Flip Flop Sculpture by Ocean Sole
I cannot resist sharing an company I discovered last week thanks to Lonny. I am a sucker for a company than not only helps the community but the environment while creating a green and COOL product. Ocean Sole does just that with their line of recycled flip flop sculptured and gifts.
I plan on ordering some this week for my shop and clients. See the whole line here.
If you want me to order some for you just give me a shout.
Passionate about the ocean, its ecosystems and marine wildlife, we recycle flipflops that are found littered on beaches and in waterways of Kenya.
Every single Ocean Sole product is handcrafted to protect the oceans and teach the world about the threats of marine debris.
As a bizarre and yet very real phenomenon, thousands and thousands of flipflops are washed up onto the East African coast creating an environmental disaster. Not only spoiling the natural beauty of our beaches and oceans, the rubber soles are swallowed & suffocated on by fish & other animals, they obstruct turtle hatchlings from reaching the sea and are a man-made menace to our fragile ecosystems.
Our creative team of artisans transforms the discarded flipflops into elephants, giraffes, lions, rhinos, dolphins, sharks, turtles and more. These colourful masterpieces come with an important message about marine conservation whilst bringing smiles to people all over the world.
Be a part of the pollution solution and join us on a flipflop safari!
Creating A Sustainable Impact
- Flipflops are one of the largest marine pollutants on our Indian Ocean beaches
- Our oceans are filling up with plastic
- Ocean Sole is taking action, through trade we create change
- Ocean Sole puts back into our foundation 5% of all profit from our products and 25% from our “Giant” sculptures
We aim to recycle 400, 000 flipflops a year and create masterpieces for sale across the world. The recycled flipflop creates awareness of our human footprint.
We work with over 100 individuals; at our workshops in Nairobi, in city slums and in remote coastal areas providing much needed employment.
“I was not able to afford shoes and had to borrow some to come to Nairobi to find work. I have been working here for 6 years…I can now afford to send my two children to secondary school and feed and clothe them well. I have set up a small farm upcountry with two cows and I sell the milk to my neighbours to make extra money and it is an investment for my children. The company supports me when I am sick and they pay my doctor’s bills. I say thank you.” -Eric Mwandola, Artisan, Rhino Team
Foundation
The world is 70% ocean, 30% landmass. Like our bodies it lives in equilibrium. We are waking up to the fact that the consequence of industrialisation is rocking the boat.
The ocean is the world’s dump yard. This has devastating effects on the smallest polyp to the largest blue whale, to fishing, navigation and human health.
We all have a choice at every level, whether rich or poor, to take responsibility for our oceans which we depend upon. However large or small, wherever we are, we can………
-seagrass beds
-coral reefs
-beaches
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