Due to their robust structure, tires take thousands of years to decompose, and there is an estimated 1.5 billion tires thrown out every year. Inspired by trips to Bali, Kyle Parsons launched INDOSOLE in 2009 with the simple but very sustainable notion of reusing tires to make some of the most long-lasting relaxed footwear out there.
Inspired during a surf trip in 2004, the founders of Indonesian-based Indosole set out to transform waste from landfills into functional and fashionable products. Their goal was to create footwear using worn out tires as soles.
Central to the company’s vision, the idea of repurposed products involves finding a new function for old and discarded materials, which have outlived their original purpose. Indosole has salvaged many thousands of tires from overflowing Indonesian landfills, and transformed them into footwear. The transformation process simply involves washing, sanitizing and cutting tires into the shape of a sole.
“I am happy to see our world moving towards more sustainable practices, and Indosole is happy to contribute by repurposing waste tires and giving them new life as soles for our footwear. We believe that ‘repurposing’ or ‘upcycling’ lies at the core of the sustainable movement and is the future of consumerism. Our goal has been to create a well rounded business which expands the lifeline of everyday products, reduces carbon footprint, andinspires education worldwide.”