Sunglasses From Flip Flops

One of the items I hate to pick up on the beach is shoes: sandals, tennis shoes and flip flops. Hundreds are thrown in trashcans, left on the beach.. all to be washed out to sea. A new look from Parkville is made from flip flops picked up off the beach.  The Flip Flops are collected in Sri Lanka and FlipYarn – takes flip flop waste and up-cycles program into fashion accessories.

Launched on Kickstarter in August they made their funding goal! Good news, plus I love the product! This is what they say. ‘All of our sunglasses are fitted with custom spring hinges for maximum comfort and flexible fit as well as with market leading UV 400 scratch resistant lenses – the top standard in the eyewear industry – in both normal and polarised versions. The product comes in a recycled box with a carry pouch, a microfibre cloth and full warranty.’

Picture this.. I have donated 272 pair of shoes since April of 2019. That doesn’t count the number of shoes have sold or given to friends and family. Currently have over 50 pairs in stock (ready to be sold or donated) Rounding off as an estimated 500 shoes in 6 months. That is a lot of shoes, with the majority being flip flops.

• Ocean Sole, a conservation group and recycling collective in Kenya says that 90 tons of flip flops are carried to the beaches every year.
• Terracycle resells and or shreds flip flops to make into benches.
• Flip flops are also reused in doormats.

All this mean, is that there is no way that flip flops should be thrown into the trash.

• 2016 Americans spent $2.6 billion  the flip-flop.
• 220 million pairs of flip-flops a year by Havaianas. (I have 3 pair, like new picked up off the beach)
• Flip Flops have been found in Whale stomaches.
• Birds pick at the plastic in flip flops and eat even more plastic.

The problem is most of the shoes i.e flip flops are singles, meaning it can only go to one place.. the landfill unless they are recycled. Most people will just toss them rather take them to the Goodwill (even singles) for recycling. Here in San Diego, a small independent sandal store will also take back shoes. Randalls Sandals, carries all Eco Friendly, Local or Give Back shoes companies.

I hope they make it and help clean our oceans and reuse the millions of tons of flip flops going into our oceans.

Flipyarn hasn’t officially launched yet, but you can visit them here: Flip Yarn