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| Ours is a story of logic and magic; the logic of recycling our rubbish using the magic of imagination, creativity and finally, plenty of passion! The result is a bouquet of colourful, well designed sculptures, household items, fashion accessories and bespoke pieces. |
Let's face it - old flip flops are, well ... gross. But even when they're old and disgusting, they're still rubber and they take upwards of 50 years to decompose ... so they don't just "go away" when you forget them on a beach at the end of the summer. They do, however, float away. Apparently, by the hundreds of thousands. Then what? Well, Cleaning Beaches, Creating Masterpieces is the FlipFlop Recycling Company’s solution. And their motto! This eco-business (based in Nairobi, Kenya) collects discarded flip flops that were previously blighting waterways and coastlines around the world. Then, through the magic of talented local artisans, the collected waste is turned into amazing flipflop creations. And people from local communities earn an income in the process! Are you impressed? Me too!
And I have a couple of FlipFlop creatures to give away ... read on!
UniquEco/The FlipFlip Recycling Company was founded in 2005 as a "local solution to a global problem". Learn more about the business and thinking behind it here. I believe a lot of their product is exported but I've had a hard time locating either online or brick-and-mortar retailers in the US. Lucky for me I have a good friend in Nairobi and, on a recent visit to the states, he indulged my request for some FlipFlop creatures. And I'm sharing them with you! :)
The Hippo is a peaceful shelf creature. He doesn't need a lot of maintenance! The Turtle will do a little work for his living. He's actually a doorstop. But he'd made a pretty fun bath toy too.
Giveaway opens 9am EST Mon, 9/3 and ends Fri, 9/7 at midnight. WINNER announced Mon 9/10. It's easy to score multiple entries and increase your chances of winning - see below for details... (Open to US residents 18 and older.)
Please note: THIS IS NOT a sponsored post. I own the items I'm giving away and am promoting the FlipFlop Recycling Company as a goodwill gesture.
wow. hippos and turtles are two of my favorite animals!!
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool!! I love to see the creative ways people are recycling things!
ReplyDeleteTHis is fabulous! What a great way to re-use bright and colorful flipflogs!
ReplyDeletelike2sweep@gmail.com
jbmthill
these are amazing!!!! what a great idea to not only make something adorable but also to save our planet!
ReplyDeletemandyandcameron@yahoodotcom
This is the most unique and awesome idea I think I have ever seen. I love this idea! This has to be one of the most creative thigs I have ever seen! I LOVE it!!!!
ReplyDeletetiffoverton77@yahoo.com
What a great idea!!
ReplyDeleteI love turtles... and recycling. lol
ReplyDeletehugsnlove36 at hotmail dot com
I would love to win the turtle for my school! We are the Sunrise Sea Turtles and I received a grant which enabled my class to collect and send used flip flops to UniquEco. We sent 17 boxes before the money ran out. We did receive a thank you, but it would sure be nice to have something tangible as a symbol of our efforts and partnership!
ReplyDeleteCarol Rogero
scoutcrs13@earthlink.net
Carol - thank you for letting me know! Good for you and your students!! I use random.org to pick a winner for my giveaways. If you don't win, I will figure something out - ok?
DeleteI love stuff like this! It's amazing when someone can come up with something cool and artsy that would otherwise be trash! Desiree T dpapsis at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteWow, these are such a cool idea! They're beautiful and eco friendly I LOVE IT! (BTW, if I'm lucky enough to be the winner, I vote Carol gets my turtle for her class- super cool kids helping the world...awesome!)
ReplyDeleteThese are fantastic! I love how colorful they are.
ReplyDeleteoh my gosh this is so amazing! how fantastic that they can be recycled in such a way.
ReplyDeletetuckersaver at hotmail dot com
thanks for this giveaway!
ReplyDeletegkuroda(at)gmail(d0t)com
I'm commenting for Carol and the Sunrise Sea Turtles - hope they get it!
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful and so creative! I love them all!
ReplyDeleteI am thoroughly impressed with this company and the honorbale work they do. Looking at the pictures, I see a pair of boots made with soles of recycled flip flops. OMG...Why have we not seen shoe and boot comapnies endorse the use (reuse) of flip flops for their soles. What a waste these comapnies do by not making use of used flip flops for soles! Kudos for the "Flip Flop Recycling Company"!
ReplyDeleteSO clever!
ReplyDeletexo
These are so cute. I would never guess they were flip-flops.
ReplyDeleteAdorable! anna4him@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteSo cute and clever! I'll gladly donate mine to Carol's school!
ReplyDeleteadorable! would never have thought of that. thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThese would be perfect for my sister. And what a great use for old flip flops! I wonder if they could use the ones our dog ate...
ReplyDeleteThis is incredibly cool. What a great way to recycle?! I love seeing how people can be creative using resources that are already there. Great work.
ReplyDeletedandelionclover459@yahoo.com
What an amazing idea!! So creative!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome way to recycle, everything looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteOrangestar17(at)hotmail(dot)com
What a great idea to recycle flip flops! Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteAmazing! I cannot wait to show this to my kids! What a great way to recycle and also make lovely art...I love it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! These are really cute :)
ReplyDeletebblanto4@hotmail.com
That is so neat. Love this idea!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter loves hippos :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway - these are great!
ReplyDeletehrddiana556@gmail.com
Those are so awesome! jenpsht at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteI love them! What a fantastic idea!
ReplyDelete-Heather S
These are adorable! I am so grateful when I see someone reusing and upcycling what might ordinarily be thrown out.
ReplyDeletebethelderton59 at gmail dot com
I am so excited to find your site - it will be perfect for my girl scout troop!
ReplyDeletesarahyurga@yahoo.com
What a great idea! Those colorful animals are very cute.
ReplyDeleteyeloechikee at hotmail dot com
so neat! i love upcycling!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great recycling project. Such cute animals. Really like the colors.
ReplyDeleteThese are Amazing!What an awesome thing to do. Thank you for the coolest giveaway! :)
ReplyDeletetigers3450@att.net
these are awesome!
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas and co creative! I love them all!
ReplyDeleteThank You for the unique giveaway!
Fiona N
adorable, and being green makes them even cuter to me!
ReplyDeleteMy granddaughter would love this.
ReplyDeleteowen.darlene@gmail.com
These are so cool!
ReplyDeleteAllison Marie
my3kids2008 at yahoo dot com
I have never seen anything like these!
ReplyDeleteAll throughout hs and college I collected hippos...you have no clue how bad I want this!!!
ReplyDeleteSo funny, I wanted to comment the same....up cycling rules!
ReplyDeleteWyguymom at gmail dot com
Very cool and artistic. Chris =]
ReplyDeleteThis is genius. I'm so glad to learn about this company. Not only are the items they create via upcycling rediculously cute, they are providing a valuable service by helping to rid the world left-over flip-flops.
ReplyDeleteHow incredibly creative and beautiful!
ReplyDeleteNichole2577 at aol [dot][com]
These are so cute!!! What a unique and creative way to recycle flipflops!
ReplyDelete