How would you feel about wearing flip-flops made from recycled tires?
It’s interesting how a car piece can be transformed into a pair of shoes.
Recycling tires is an eco-friendly way of reusing them. Most of them are non-biodegradable and they cannot be disposed of.
Flip-flops are usually made of a rubber-like plastic. With plastic being one of the most toxic materials for nature, finding an alternative material for flip-flops can benefit the environment.
Alternatives are sometimes unique and creative. Take the vegan hair brush for example.
Flip-flops made from recycled tires can be a wonderful choice and can bring you some great benefits.
Flip-flops made from recycled tires benefits
Reuse a non-biodegradable product
Car tires are usually non-biodegradable. If they end up in landfills or waters, they will most likely remain there for a very long time.
When they are recycled, they are turned into a material which can be used to produce new products. Flip-flops made from recycled tires are one of them.
If the flip-flops get deteriorated or it’s time for them to go, you can recycle them.
May decrease the plastic request
Plastic is one of the most used materials. Flip-flops are just one example of a product manufactured using plastic.
By going for flip-flops made from recycled tires, you may contribute to decreasing the plastic request.
You go for an alternative and not for the common product.
Provide you with a unique set of flip-flops
Flip-flops are one of the most common types of shoes. It can be hard to find a different model.
Flip-flops made from recycled tires can be a unique choice because they are made from a different material as compared to other pairs.
There may be several similarities between recycled-tire flip-flops and conventional plastic ones, but their environmental impact will not be one of them.
Recycled products such as a picture frame made of recycled materials can be an amazing alternative.
A short history of flip-flops
The origins of flip-flops date back thousands of years.
If we were to look at ancient Egyptian murals from 4000 BC, we would see these shoes worn by local people.
Some of the oldest flip-flops were found in Europe. They were made of papyrus leaves and date to be around 1500 years old.
Flip-flops were made from different materials, depending on where the people were living. Ancient Egyptians used papyrus and palm leaves.
Indian people had them made of wood, while Chinese and Japanese people used rice straw.
South Americans used twine and Mexicans used the yucca plant.
The toe strap differed from one culture to another. Greeks had it between the first and second toe, while the Romans were wearing it between the second and third one.
The flip-flops became a thing in the US after World War II. Soldiers brought them from Japan.
In short time, their look was changed, as brightly colored flip-flops started to appear. By the 1960s, they were associated with the beach lifestyle, as well as with bathing suits, shorts, and summer clothes.
How recycling tires protects the environment
The lifecycle of a tire usually goes like this:
- The product is developed, taking into consideration innovations and improvements
- The product is manufactured
- Tires are distributed to specialized retailers
- Consumers buy and use them
- Producers and retailers establish certain policies related to replacement and return of the tires
- Used tires are eventually recycled
If the last step were skipped, we would have to bring the term environmental hazards into the discussion. When they are left on wet soils, tires may leach dangerous toxins into the groundwater.
Add that tires are not biodegradable. There are no micro-organisms which feed on this vulcanized rubber. Tires eventually break down due to other factors such as heating, freezing or friction from movement.
Depending on the environment they are in, they may take hundreds, even thousands of years to break down. There are no exact numbers on how long it takes for tires to break down.
Recycling car tires can have a big impact on the environment. Not only may this prevent tires from ending up in landfills, but it can also create a great material for new products such as recycled-tire flip-flops.
Going for the best biodegradable trash bags is another great way to take care of the environment.