Eco Friendly Flip Flops

2 posts today, post #1.

The time has come for some new flip flops in this house. I know it's practically fall here, but my partner has this habit of wearing his flip flops for as long as he possibly can... which sometime means wearing socks with them, which drives me nuts and he knows it and doesn't care. But it's all good. Except for when he wears through his flip flops so bad that it's time to buy new ones.

They aren't even safe to walk in, but he still wears them so I caved and started the research. I did check many thrift and second hand stores, but to no avail. He has a special size that is not easy to find... so off to the internet to search for some more of those eco-friendly products that are hidden from most of the world.

Here are just a few some of my most favorite finds:

These flip flops made by IndoSole are made from banana leaves and the soles are made from re-purposed motorbike tires. They are sweatshop free, made from recycle materials and 100% vegan. They also make a grass mat version. Unfortunately, these puppies are a little out of our price range.



These flip flops are made by Simple and are actually the ones that I ended up purchasing. I found them on sale from a decent business, and then I found the women style on sale as well and bought myself some... since my own flip flops aren't going to be around much longer either. These flops are made from recycled soda bottles, are vegan and the sole is biodegradable. They also comes in a biodegradable bag, so I don't have to stress about the packaging as much.

Just for fun, check out these flip flops made from old chopsticks, dental floss and cork board. I'm pretty sure they are not for sale, but it's pretty cool to see what you can make out of items you might have lying around your house if you need to... you know, if you are the type that collects used chopsticks and dental floss, but you get the picture.



And then the question is, what do we do with our old used flip flops that can't be donated or recycled? Well, I came across these suggestions from Green Life that I thought would be worth re-posting:

- Make a doormat from your old flip-flops.
- Decorate an ottoman with your old flip-flops.
- Use your old flip-flops to make a helicopter toy for a kid.
- Make a toy boat out of your old flip-flops.
- Create a storage container out of your old flip-flops.
- Use shredded thongs from your old flip-flops as packing materials for your next move or to ship a package.
- Shred your old flip flips and use the shredding as stuffing in cushions.
- Make fun jewelry like bracelets with old flip-flops.
- Use your old flip-flops as fishing floats.
- Cut your old flip-flops to size to be used as filling for gaps in doorways.
- Give your pets your old flips flops for them to play with.
- Cut pieces of your old flip flops to fit under large appliances or heavy furniture that sit on tile or wood flooring to prevent scratching.
- Glue a couple layers of your old flip-flops together to use as doorstops.

Ok, there might be better ideas out there, but to open our minds enough to think like this is what I'm getting at.

Here is one more way to upcycle your old flip flops, as suggested by feelgoodz, who also offer some eco-friendly flip flops. While I like their idea in general, I battle with amount of fuel used in all of the shipping involved with the plan. But that's because I over think everything, so please consider it an option for your own used flip flops.

Does anyone else have any good ideas for old flip flops?