Looks like junk?
Think again.
In accordance with Fair Earth’s focus to bring you
products that are not only fair trade but also green and
friendly to our earth, we are proud to represent Uniqueco
Designs, a sustainable income-generating project turning
discarded flip-flops into products you’ll love!
How does it work? Every year, thousands of flip-flops wash
up on the shores of Africa. Accumulating from as far as
Asia, the discarded flip-flops create an environmental disaster
for the natural marine ecosystems. The rubber is mistakenly
swallowed by marine life, and it prevents hatching turtles
from safely reaching the sea. Being indestructible, the
flip-flop rubber continues to accumulate causing the problems
to exacerbate.
Instead of allowing these non-biodegradable materials to
clog the beaches or contribute to ever-growing landfills,
Uniqueco Designs is turning the flip-flops inro building
blocks for a beautiful line of jewelry and accessories.
The sandals are already beautifully colored, so no extra dyes
need to be added. They are sanded and glued together to
create color patterns, and then infused with people’s creativity
to form a diverse product line: sculptures, lampshades,
beads, jewelry, tablemats, rugs, key chains – you name it!
The products are inspired by local ingenuity and employ a
broad range of workers, from unskilled beach-combers to
bead makers to talented artists and designers. Items are
priced generously so all of the workers earn a living wage,
allowing them to maintain their way of life and provide a
better future for themselves and their families.
See our Uniqueco Products here!
