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The Business Times recently featured a growing number of Singapore eco-conscious designers and entrepreneurs who are upcycling - turning unwanted materials into products of better quality and environmental value.
"The potential to harness waste and upcycle them into quality products has spawned a new kind of creative entrepreneur in all industries."
Indosole were proud to be included... "Flip flops by Indosole, for one, are made of repurposed rubber tires. It was founded by Kyle Parsons, who happened to buy a pair of sandals with soles made from motorbike tires in Bali and was appalled by the number of waste tires that end up in landfills. In third world countries, they are a cheap alternative to fuel, but burning them releases toxic oils and fumes into the air."
"Indosole collects tires from all over Indonesia, grinds the rubber into a fine powder and melts it into rubber soles for its flip flops and slides."
Over 80,000 tires have been repurposed to make 220,000 pairs of Indosoles since the brand started in 2009
“There is a growing awareness in all sectors of where things come from, who makes them and how their production affects the environment and the people behind them. Customers are more willing to seek out and hear the story behind brands and products, more than ever before to have a connection with them.”
First time [Indosole] customers often show surprise and admiration that someone has turned waste into something so useful and accessible.
“We believe environmentalism isn’t for the elite. We’ve taken the universal appeal of the flip flop and made it easy on the environment, without the usual cost prohibitions”
Featured alongside Indosole:
- August Society Swimwear and Athleisure made from recycled fishing nets and ocean trash.
- Muta.Wear Fashion and Accessories made from deconstructed offcuts and trash fabric.
- Esse the label
- MusicCloth who makes fabric from an unlikely source - cassette tapes
- Arthur Zaaro - makes chopping boards and dining tables out of locally grown trees such as the African mahogany, commonly planted along roads.
- Smoke by Shou Sugi Ban Gallery has a collection of furniture that uses felled suar wood or rain tree, which it retails under its Suarwoodtable.com brand.
Read the full article here: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/lifestyle/feature/from-trash-to-treasure
