Triton Soles: Biodegradable Flip-Flips Made From Algae

Flip-Flops are the most-sold shoes in the world - and the most often thrown away. What if something could be done to stop all that plastic ending up as landfill?

Author Julian Furtkamp:

Translation Julian Furtkamp, 10.16.17

Students and researchers at the University of California San Diego recently presented a new kind of flip-flop – not  that is made of an algae-based material rather than made from petroleum. That means that the carbon dioxide needed to manufacture it is taken from the atmosphere and not drawn from fossil fuels. And when the sole has reached the end of its useful life it’s completely biodegradable.

They chose to develop a flip-flop rather than any other type of shoe because of the fact that they are made up of mostly sole and because with roughly three billion pairs being produced each year, they’re far and away the number 1 most-worn shoe in the world. With the estimated cost of the shoe being just three USD per pair, that means a considerable potential market share.

Particularly challenging when developing the material was how to achieve the rubber-like flexibility needed for the sole. At the same university, two professors had already managed to develop an algae-based surfboards, where the conventional polyurethane foam was replaced by their innovative material.

We recently reported on Adidas’s move to make running shoes made of ocean plastic, but that’s obviously a very different approach – tackling the problem after it’s happened, rather than the source of the problem itself. 

So could biomaterials be the future of sustainable manufacturing? Find out more here about how shoes are being made from from cobwebs and furniture from mushrooms… 

TAGGED WITH
Italian-Designed Bio Computers Turning Workstations Into Zen Spaces

Boring-looking and intrusive, energy and material intensive, desktop computers are often an essential - but unattractive - piece of equipment. But could this be different? Two Italian friends have come up with a low-energy 'bio computer', made of sustainable materials, which can turn any workstation into a green and aromatic oasis.

Could Seaweed Balls Be the Future of Sustainable Insulation?

Ever walked along the ocean shore, feet splashing in the water, and been annoyed at the seaweed tangled up between your toes? You are not alone. But as it turns out, these clumps of seaweed might have a function quite aside from messing up our walk at the beach.

3D-Printed With Ocean Plastic: The Running Shoe Making Big Strides

To help reduce the problem of plastic pollution, a new running shoe made with ocean plastic and using 3D printing technology is to hit the shelves by the end of 2017. Could this be a game changer for the sports industry?

It’s Only Natural: Are Biomaterials the Future of Sustainable Manufacturing?

Furniture made from mushrooms. Clothing made from seaweed. Shoes made from spiderwebs. It may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but these are are just some of the examples of the fascinating innovations of Biofabrication.

Oh My God! There’s A Shoe In My Fungi!

As the search for animal and environmentally-friendly leather products continues, here's an ingredient you would normally associate with an omelette: mushrooms.