paperfeet by TOMBOLO

What issue will your venture address?
*waste reduction - social responsibility - ethical labor standards - footwear innovation*

In the US alone we send 3 million billboards a year to landfills or about 10,000 tons of vinyl (2008 EnKad Sciences). 2000 full-grown elephants don't even weigh that much! With 25 million square meters of vinyl wasted per year (enough to cover the state of Massachusetts), TOMBOLO is offering innovative solutions by upcycling (repurposing) these typically non-recyclable expired advertisements into affordable consumer goods.
TOMBOLO's first innovation is paperfeet: portable eco-footwear.

Why are you pursuing this specific issue?
*pursuit of barefoot bliss via pocketable eco-sandals*

Paperfeet's inventor, Jimmy Tomczak, loves the beach and a good adventure. He lives on a lake where you'll find him barefoot, but because shoe-free fun is not always possible he designed minimalist footwear with reflexology benefits made from upcycled outdoor advertisement material to save his feet and then envisioned TOMBOLO to save the world. Paperfeet are go-anywhere-portable and so comfortable they give a natural massage (reflexology). Paperfeet are made in the USA using local, ethical labor.

How will your venture solve this problem?
*barefoot benefits education - unique product line - repurposed, recycled materials - fair labor*

Paperfeet, the world's thinnest flexible flip-flop, are simple, fun, and portable foot protection whenever-you-need-it.

Billboard vinyl, is a three-layer composite material where the fibered polyester core is coated with flexible PVC on either side to yield the desired texture and weather-worthy printable properties. Unfortunately, the integration of PVC into the polyester core makes separation of either component uneconomical, and complete recycling not feasible. For this reason, reusing the material to manufacture paperfeet is an earth-conscious decision.

Other companies have established proof-of-concept, selling bags and backpacks made of billboard vinyl. Back-to-basics barefoot culture is also thriving. Products like Vibram’s Five Fingers (minimalist shoes) and bestselling books like Born to Run by Christopher McDougall have been featured in the mass media as more and more people realize the benefits of natural barefoot living. Our primary market is college students who need a simple sandal for daily dorm life or portable protection in extreme situations.

Paperfeet: paper-thin eco-footwear by TOMBOLO
Save the World, Save Your Sole
www.paperfeet.com