# Upcycled Plastic Shoes These Shoes Were Made From Collected Plastic Trash By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2014-10-15 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plastic-shoes References: [design-milk](http://design-milk.com/shoes-made-plastic-waste-found-uk-shores/) & [everythingisrubbish](http://everythingisrubbish.co.uk) These plastic shoes are part of a project from Charles Duffy, William Gubbins, and Billy Turvey called 'Everything You Buy is Rubbish' on the link between consumerism and waste. The shoes were crafted from plastic that was collected along the shores in the UK, including the Thames. From there, the trio was able to put together a [shoe made from the scraps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cardboard-chaos) of plastic that were gathered. The plastic shoes remind people that no matter what you consume, it will eventually have to turn into waste, unless it can be [cleverly repurposed](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sole-jasper-chukka) as in this project. With over 8 million pieces of plastic entering the ocean on a daily basis, there could be thousands of these shoe produced from trash. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.8/10 - Popularity: 76% | Activity: 90% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 90% men, 10% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Upcycling Fashion:** There is a growing trend for upcycling in the fashion industry, where designers create new fashion from waste materials. - **Sustainability in Footwear:** Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the footwear industry, with brands using eco-friendly materials like recycled plastic to produce footwear. - **Circular Economy:** The concept of a circular economy aims to minimize waste and create a sustainable system of production and consumption. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Fashion:** The fashion industry can benefit from the upcycling trend by creating new fashion from waste materials and promoting sustainability. - **Footwear:** The footwear industry can innovate through the use of eco-friendly materials like recycled plastic to reduce waste and promote sustainable practices. - **Environmental Services:** Companies that specialize in environmental services can capitalize on the growing interest in the circular economy and help businesses minimize waste and operate sustainably. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Recycled Rope-Made Footwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shore.md) - [Discarded Shoe-Created Stools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wu-series.md) - [Textile-to-Textile Recycled Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/allbirds-remix.md) - [Contemporary Upcycled Bright Benches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/remix-maison-1.md) - [Recycled Shoe-Made Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/remix-maison.md) - [Petroleum Product-Free Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-ripple-shoe.md) - [Dust-Based Soft Slippers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/done-dusted.md) - [Sustainable 3D-Printed Footwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/4dfwd-1.md) - [Upcycled Plastic Furniture Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crafting-plastic.md)