Having just got back from a beachy vacation on the coast of Canada, this story reminded me of how lucky we are to have clean beaches nearby. For many people, the ocean is a resource or an obstacle, and is much less an amenity for relaxation. The Uniqueco Foundation in Kenya uses flip flops that have washed up on the beaches to create awareness, jobs, and works of art.

A Flip Flop Story. Designed by Diederik Schneemann.

‘A Flip Flop Story’ is the creation of Diederik Schneemann, who aims to demonstrate how old materials can be reused and transformed into beautiful sustainable products. ‘A Flip Flop Story’ collection is made out of reclaimed flip flops that are gathered by Uniqueco with the local people. The flips flops have drifted from places from Eastern Africa and sometimes came from as far as Asia. The effort both cleans the beaches from these heavily polluting slippers and creates new products, the profits of which benefit the community.

The project by Studio Schneemann in conjunction with Uniqueco is manufactured in Nairobi. Uniqueco sands the salvaged flip flops to reveal the bright colors within before melting them down to a new material form. Schneemann’s pieces include a tulip vase on wheels, a vase with a drawer in the front and a lamp with a power outlet in the base.

“‘A Flip Flop Story’ …been trodden on, travelled with, badgered and scarred but still moving on…”

About the Designer: Diederik Schneemann is a Rotterdam based designer with a strong interest in sustainability. Studio Schneemann is a conceptual studio that focuses on industrial design. Uniqueco is a Nairobi based company that aims to clean up the beaches and upcycle collected materials to provide jobs for local artists. Studio Schneemann and Uniqueco worked together on the development of the Flip Flop Story.

via Dezeen