Grace Wangare, executive accountant, displays finished toys made from pieces of discarded flip flops, at the Ocean Sole recycling shop in Nairobi. Photos: AFP
Tangled in seaweed, buried in sand, washed up in rock pools – tattered old flip flops are an eyesore on Kenya’s beaches, flushed out of rivers or carried across the sea from Asia and beyond.
They are the footwear of choice for much of the world but cheap flip flops, like other plastic trash, are polluting oceans and pristine white-sand beaches like Kilifi on the Indian Ocean.
Win a prize this Mother's Day by subscribing to our annual plan now! T&C applies.
Turning old flip flops into attractive toys
Grace Wangare, executive accountant, displays finished toys made from pieces of discarded flip flops, at the Ocean Sole recycling shop in Nairobi. Photos: AFP
on Feb 9 (Photo by Simon MAINA / AFP) - They are the footwear of choice for much of the world but cheap flip flops, like other plastic trash, are polluting oceans and pristine white-sand beaches like Kilifi on the Indian Ocean.
Volunteers collecting plastic waste during a cleaning exercise organised by Ocean Sole Africa, in Kilifi county on Feb 12, 2022. Flip flops are the footwear of choice for much of the world but cheap ones, like other plastic trash, are polluting oceans and pristine white-sand beaches like Kilifi on the Indian Ocean.
(Photo by Simon MAINA / AFP)
A worker joins cut out pieces to make a slab for shoe sole made from pieces of discarded flip flops, at the Ocean Sole flip flop recycling company in Nairobi.
A carver making final touches on an unfinished toy fish that he's making from pieces of discarded flip flops, at Ocean Sole.
A casual labourer dries already-finished elephant and dog toys made from pieces of discarded flip flops, at Ocean Sole.
Casual labourers washing used and worn-out flip flops at Ocean Sole.
Artisans working next to unfinished large toy giraffes that they are making from pieces of discarded flip flops.
