EASY SWAP - FROM BUSTED TO BEAUTIFUL (THONGS)
It’s a rite of passage for majority of the world’s population, over the last 60 years to have a ‘blow out’ while casually walking down the street. No, I’m not referring to getting your hair done at the hairdresser. I’m talking about when you’re wearing a pair of recycled rubber thongs, flip flops, jandals (whatever you want to call them) and all of a sudden, you’ve tripped over your own foot because the ‘centre mast’ has completely broken out of the sole of your rubber thong. Classic experience known as a blow-out.
What if I told you a couple of Aussies have come up with a blow-out free alternative that just happens to also be a more sustainable option by turning trash into treasure?! This month’s easy swap is all about BLAEK store’s favourite shoe brand, Indosole. Established in 2009 as one of the O.G recycled footwear brands, Indosole is the perfect summer shoe made in Indonesia from discarded tires. Walking on tires doesn’t sound too enticing but I’m telling you now, the team at Indosole have literally created clouds for shoes. Even now while the weather turns in Sydney, I’m telling myself on the daily ‘it’s humid so technically I can still wear my beloved Indosole slides’ meanwhile it’s torrential rain outside and my feet are drenched but boy oh boy my feet are happy and comfy, a little bit of rain hurt no one. They have nailed both function and style with options like the classic flipflop, the cross slide or my personal favourite the classic slide, in an assortment of muted tones like light soil and granite or you can go with the classic black.
The more you think about it the more you realise that turning tires into shoes is a no brainer. I’ve had my Indosole slides for three years now, and the tread looks as though they are fresh out of their original packaging, untouched and ready to fight their first day on the footpath. This is one of my favourite selling points when talking to customers, the reason being, every other flipflop out there loses it’s tread and becomes a slippery law suit after a few months. Indosole is all about a quality shoe that will literally stand the test of time and could potentially outlast the life of its owner because of its durability. *
The biggest stand out for me is the team at Indosole are tackling a huge waste issue. It’s nearly impossible for tires to decompose, it literally takes thousands of years, this means the first tyre ever made in 1845 quite possibly still exists. Usually tires sit in stockyards, illegal dumping sites and in some countries, they are sitting in rivers. In tropical countries, like Indonesia these sites can become breeding grounds for mosquitos which leads to diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. In developing countries like Australia tires are used as a cheap alternative for fuel which results in toxic oils and fumes being released into our environment that are of course harmful to the health of both people and planet. Until hover crafts are introduced, which according to my Dad is only just around the corner, repurposing waste into a long-lasting reusable product is a great way to combat the waste of a product that is a little difficult to avoid, unless of course you give up driving forever which is unrealistic for a lot of people.
Indosole, the amazing innovators that they are, use breakthrough technology to transform tires into soles and invented ENVRO Fiber for their flexible straps (AKA blow-out resistant strap). They use ethically sourced natural rubber to cushion your foot with ergonomic support and they are also B-Corp certified which means they have gone through rigorous questioning to prove that they are of the highest standards when it comes to sustainability and ethical manufacturing. They tick so many of our boxes when it comes to responsible business, we knew we couldn’t deprive our community the chance to own a pair.
While Indosole’s may set you back an extra $10 compared to the cheap rubber alternatives on the market what you get in return is a durable, well-made shoe that can take you from beach to bar. They can last you a lifetime and as always, with any of our sustainable swaps, they are better for both people and planet.
