Paper Flops are flip flops made of newspaper by socially disadvantaged workers in Jakarta, Indonesia. The shoes are made of newspaper and other sustainable materials such as coconut shells, palm tree roots and natural rubber.
In addition to being environmentally responsible, Paper Flops are socially responsible. The workers behind these creative sandals range from street children to mentally disabled adults, all of whom get a chance to learn valuable skills and provide for their families.
It takes approximately 1 kilogram of newspaper to make a pair of these flip flops, with each pair being priced at $35 for a pre-sale pair. Oh, and don't worry about these flip flops turning to mush when wet. Each pair of Paper Flops is covered in an all-natural water sealant.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Sustainable Fashion
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop new materials and manufacturing methods to create eco-friendly fashion products.
- Socially Responsible Manufacturing
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Implement inclusive production processes that offer employment opportunities to socially disadvantaged individuals.
- Upcycled Products
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create new consumer products using recycled or upcycled materials to reduce waste and promote sustainability.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Fashion
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrate sustainable practices and materials into the fashion industry to address environmental concerns.
- Manufacturing
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop inclusive manufacturing processes that provide job opportunities and training for socially disadvantaged individuals.
- Eco-friendly Products
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Innovate in the production of environmentally friendly consumer products by utilizing recycled or upcycled materials.
