ABOUT
OCEAN SOLE
Ocean Sole is a social enterprise based in Kenya that transforms discarded flip flops washed up on the coastline into colorful sculptures and products.
Our mission is to raise awareness about marine pollution and promote sustainability through art while providing employment to local artisans & community enrichment. When we work together, we can make a lasting and important impact!
MISSION & HISTORY.
With billions of pounds of trash in our oceans, roughly 15% washes up on our shores. We host weekly beach cleans to collect the trash, sort out the flip flops, and bring them to our workshop in Nairobi, Kenya.
From there, the flip flops are sanitized and then used to create hand-carved sculptures. Our artwork is meant to be a colorful conversation starter! It tells the story of the state of our oceans, and how we can all work together to make a lasting impact on our planet.
Ocean Sole started originally when a marine biologist saw local moms picking up pollution from the beaches and making toys for their children. In a country with woodcarvers by family trade, Artisans were taught to carve their works from flip flops rather than wood. In turn, jobs were created, a community has been empowered, and beaches
are being cleaned.
Since its inception in 2006, Ocean Sole has played a significant role in the conservation efforts in Kenya under the leadership of the CEO, Erin Smith. The Ocean Sole we know and love today has undergone many changes in the intervening years.
