Ocean Sole...

We have just come back from an amazing holiday in Kenya and, amongst other things, came across this brilliant initiative. Ocean Sole (www.theffrc.com) is a company that collects and recycles discarded flip flops into sculptures and jewelry. Their tag line is "Cleaning Beaches, Creating Masterpieces", and that is exactly what they do. I was so inspired by the work being done there and just had to share it, so following is a brief description of the process.



When the flip flops first come in they are cleaned and sorted into colours.



 

They then use super glue to stick them together and start cutting them into rough shapes.



 

Then the carving begins!

 

An elephant in the process; the white part is insulation from old fridges.



 

Once it's all glued and carved it goes for sanding, just look at the size of this guy!

They then use the small off cuts to make these beautiful beads - each hand carved and sanded!



This here is a beaded curtain. Each bead was individually stamped out!

 

Some animals almost ready. Aren't they just beautiful?



 

Spot the zebra!

 Whatever is left goes to playgrounds as 'soft fall'.

 

And this is the little guy who came home with us :)