A use for my kids' trashed shoes!

Finally, a use for those used kids' shoes

I try to live "green" to the best of my ability, which unfortunately is not much. Sometimes convenience just really gets in the way of my (way in the future) grandkids and great-grandkids' futures.

See, in most parts of South Africa, recycling is not a big enough issue. Granted, at some of the shopping malls you will find a recycling bin station and the schools will have a recycling project when the sports season is over, but apart from that you're on your own.

But I actually do care about our planet, global warming and world-peace (no, I did not take that from my Miss. World speech, this is unique content). So it was with interest that I read about a company in Georgia that has devised a line of recycleable shoes.

That's right, the shoes are made from about 30% recycled materials, such as shoes that customers have worn and then returned to the company. If you don't want to send them back once they are worn out, you can put them in the curbside bin, as they are made from number 3 plastic.

The company has a virtually 0-waste policy, which means that they find ways to rework everything they are sent and not just parts of the shoes.

Shoes that are manufactured and remanufactured are said to be very comfortable. The range includes, clogs, slides, flipflops and more. Their shoes boast superior support for arches, massaging insoles and a number of other cool features. In addition to being vegan friendly, they are affordable too.

Nike has done something similar. Old shoes are ground up and used to manufacture zippers, running tracks or sneaker soles.

I found this to be rather cool and I may just take part in such a scheme, particularly with the kids' shoes as they get seriously messed up in the month or so that they actually fit before they are outgrown.