Beach cleanup efforts around the world are all commendable; however, we rarely get to see what actually happens to the trash that’s been collected. It's even rarer for gathered waste to be turned into art. One company called Ocean Sole hosts clean ups to pick up trash on the beaches and waterways of Kenya to combat the amount to flip-flops that are discarded in them every year. They then give these scrapped objects a second life with the help of local communities, turning them into colorful sculptures of all sizes.
The story of Ocean Sole began when Julie Church, founder of the social enterprise, noticed children creating toys out of discarded flip-flops. Noticing the versatility of the material, she then encouraged the children's mothers to collect, wash, and cut the discarded flip-flops, which they then could turn into new products that could be sold at local markets as an additional source of income.
“Ocean Sole was founded on the premise of cleaning our oceans and waterways whilst employing artists from high impact communities in Kenya,” Joe Mwakiremba, head of sales, tells My Modern Met. Today, the company impacts over 1,000 Kenyans through the collection of flip-flops and direct employment. This includes providing steady income to nearly 100 low-income Kenyans.
The participation of the community is key to every step of the process. “Once the collector is paid and gone, the dirty flip-flops are washed with detergent and left to dry,” Mwakiremba shares. “The next step is joining them together using an adhesive and then carved down into different shapes and forms. The third stage is sanding which is a smoothening phase before the finished product is finally washed and shipped to many of our ‘solemates’ around the world.”
Ocean Sole can produce 15 small sculptures a day, or two to three larger pieces per week. Most of their creations are inspired by endangered species to help put a spotlight on them, but they've also produced car designs and practical objects, like bottle openers and doorstops. “Each piece is unique based on the materials collected,” explains Mwakiremba. “The locals benefit greatly from selling the plastic waste to us. During the heavy rain season, they can find lots of flip-flops which is great for us compared with the dry seasons.” He also shares that one of their collectors has been able to put one of his kids through college; others have been able to purchase land and even livestock.
The positive effects can also be seen in the environment. “We aim to recycle a million flip-flops [per] year, recycle over one tonne of styrofoam a month, and save over five hundred trees a year—by using flip-flops instead of wood,” the company states on its website. “We contribute over 10-15% of our revenue to beach cleanups, vocational and educational programmes as well as conservation efforts.”
You can support Ocean Sole by buying their art online or hosting a beach clean. To learn more visit their website.
To combat the amount to flip-flops that are discarded every year on the beaches and waterways of Kenya, Ocean Sole hosts clean ups to gather these materials.
Then, they give them a second life with the help of local communities, turning them into colorful sculptures of all sizes.
“Ocean Sole was founded on the premise of cleaning our oceans and waterways whilst employing artists from high impact communities in Kenya,” Joe Mwakiremba, head of sale, tells My Modern Met.
Today, the company impacts over 1,000 Kenyans through the collection of flip-flops and direct employment. This includes providing steady income to nearly 100 low-income Kenyans.
“We aim to recycle a million flip-flops [per] year, recycle over one tonne of styrofoam a month, and save over five hundred trees a year—by using flip-flops instead of wood.”
Most of their creations are inspired by endangered species to help put a spotlight on them, but they've also produced car designs and practical objects, like bottle openers and doorstops.
“We contribute over 10-15% of our revenue to beach cleanups, vocational and educational programmes as well as conservation efforts.”
Ocean Sole: Website | Instagram | Facebook
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Ocean Sole.
