Ecological & Social Artworks: Ocean Sole's Flip-Flop Yoga Blocks

Ökologische & soziale Kunstwerke: die Flip-Flop Yoga Blöcke von Ocean Sole

These yoga blocks not only support you in your practice. These yoga blocks are good for the environment and also serve a social purpose. Each yoga block is unique. A small, colorful work of art, handcrafted by Ocean Sole in Kenya. The story of each Ocean Sole yoga block begins as a flip-flop on someone's foot.

Ocean Sole - a Social Enterprise makes Flip-Flop Art

The cheap and short-lived plastic shoe serves 3.5 billion people worldwide, especially in developing countries and predominantly in Asia, as primary footwear. After a short time, the sandals break and are discarded. Due to poorly developed waste systems, the majority of broken flip-flops end up in rivers and other bodies of water. And eventually in the ocean. They break into pieces, pollute seas and beaches, and endanger living creatures. The currents wash them ashore by the millions on the east coast of Africa, such as here on the beaches of Kenya.

A Yoga Block with Ecological and Social Added Value

Since its founding in 1998, Ocean Sole has collected over 1000 tons of flip-flops from the beaches and waterways of Kenya. In 2020, it was 750,000 pieces.

With our limited edition yoga blocks alone, more than 10,000 broken flip-flops have been recycled.

In addition to the significant ecological impact, Ocean Sole blocks also bring important social added value. The social enterprise offers people work with a fixed income who previously earned little or nothing. In addition to cooperations with waste collectors, Ocean Sole employs 90 artists who upcycle the flip-flops into art. The company thus supports some 1000 Kenyans. Furthermore, the social enterprise donates ten to fifteen percent of all proceeds to marine conservation programs.

By purchasing a unique yoga block, you not only reduce the amount of waste by 21 flip-flops, you also directly support the coastal communities of Kenya.

To the Yoga Blocks

From Broken Flip-Flop to Yoga Block

The journey from the washed-up, discarded flip-flop to the unique yoga block begins on the coast of Kenya. There, Ocean Sole works closely with local communities and businesses that clean beaches, rivers, and other bodies of water of flip-flops and other waste. Ocean Sole buys the broken plastic sandals from them. Then they thoroughly clean the pieces and remove any foreign substances. Once completely clean, they can be recycled.

Now the art begins. The old flip-flops are glued into colorful blocks, from which the yoga blocks are then shaped. In elaborate and careful work, the Ocean Sole artists carve the mosaic artworks into shape. Finally, the surfaces are finely sanded and the edges rounded.

Every single block is a handmade work of art. Every single block is unique. Due to the handwork, a block may also have minor unevenness. But no block looks like another. Every single block contains at least 21 used flip-flops. With every single block, 21 flip-flops are removed from nature. With every single yoga block, 21 flip-flops are given a new life. To support you in your asana practice.