Waves – 100% biodegradable flip-flops

Comfort and durability thanks to natural rubber

We want to do something good for your feet with our toe sandals and at the same time protect the environment from further damage and pollution from industry. Natural rubber is therefore an excellent raw material and is perfectly suited for the production of environmentally friendly flip-flops that do not harm nature in any way. The spongy, lightweight material of natural rubber naturally incorporates smart technology. Thanks to this, the rubber is able to naturally adapt to your foot and thus offer you a high level of comfort and support when wearing them. You hardly notice that you have a shoe on your feet and annoying blisters between your toes are a thing of the past.

What is the difference to conventional recycled toe sandals?

We were quick to recognise the problem with plastic and plastic recycling and acted accordingly. Globally, only 9 per cent of plastic waste is recycled, 12 per cent is incinerated and the vast majority of 79 per cent is landfilled or disposed of in the environment. So it’s no wonder that by 2050 there could be more plastic floating in the ocean than fish. These figures are alarming, which is why we want to counteract this development and produce toe sandalss that are 100% biodegradable and thus decompose harmlessly in the soil. The natural rubber provides these properties and the shoe would completely decompose in the soil even if lost, leaving no traces in nature. For us, plastic recycling is not a long-term solution – that companies reuse plastic that consumers no longer need is a laudable fact, but this plastic will also decompose and eventually find its way to landfill.

The way is more tedious and inconvenient, but the result is the same – this is not a solution for us in the long run, so we resort to the juice of the gum tree! If you want to learn more about the topic, just click here.

Our principles – Fair to the environment, people and animals

For the production of toe sandals, our principles are clearly formulated – fair trade relations, ecological responsibility and a consistent no to child labour and animal testing. Since we are fully behind the Fairtrade principles, but natural rubber does not fall under the Fairtrade-certified raw materials, we have joined forces with Fair Rubber e.V. – this ensures that the sap of the rubber tree is certified according to Fairtrade principles. We employ many people in Sri Lanka who harvest the precious natural rubber using traditional methods and new technologies. By paying a premium price for our natural rubber, we ensure a sustainable income for the local smallholders and give them the opportunity for education. Together with Fair Rubber e.V., we give the participants in Sri Lanka the opportunity to take part in fair trade.