The colorful Ocean Sole images are not only great to see, the story behind the images is also inspiring and impressive. As soon as one hears what material was used to make the images, one looks in disbelief; flip flops (flip flops) ?!
Passionate about the oceans, sustainability and aware of the importance of ecosystems, Ocean Sole tackles pollution from flip flops and other plastics.
A large part of the world's population - especially in developing countries - walks on flip-flops made of foam rubber (polyurethane). This footwear is cheap to buy, but not durable in use. This, in combination with an underdeveloped waste processing system, ensures that in countries such as Kenya the flip flops end up in nature and ultimately in the oceans. With all consequences for humans and animals.
The Plastic Soup
Waste that floats in the sea is carried along by sea currents and often remains in a place where they come together, this is called the 'Plastic Soup'. The Plastic Soup is a large 'island' of floating plastics that has formed in the oceans. Due to the salty seawater and ultraviolet light, this plastic slowly disintegrates into very fine pieces.
Many of these small plastic particles end up in the stomachs of birds and marine animals via the food chain, resulting in poisoning and disruption of the hormone balance in these animals. In addition, a large part of the Plastic Soup (including the flip-flops) washes up on the beaches of Kenya, among others.
Ocean Sole's method
The washed up flip flops are collected and cleaned by Ocean Sole employees. Then the flip-flops are glued into large blocks, from which the creative team of craftsmen carves the most beautiful images. Elephants, giraffes, lions, rhinoceroses and many more famous animals of the African savannah come to life from the flip flops. Every Ocean Sole artist has his or her own specialty. For example, one artist is better at shaping the smallest models, while another ventures into the largest creations!
Ocean Sole contributes to a solution for three local and global issues that affect everyone: it prevents and remedies pollution of land and sea by these plastics, it creates employment and limits logging for works of art.
Ocean Sole's artworks convey an important message about the importance of protecting the marine environment and their cheerful colors bring a smile to many people's faces at the same time!
Some figures to know:
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