Annually, more than 100 billion plastic bags are disposed of haphazardly which is not eco friendly. A large amount of waste gets dumped into rivers and oceans. More than 10,000 different marine animals lose their life because of the waste produced by us. Not only animals but humans suffer as well. The improper dumping of garbage becomes ground from various types of diseases. Our habits cost our lives. Ashay Bhave, a student, came up with the idea of using recycled waste and turning it into good quality and ethically produced eco friendly shoes.
Building The Prototype For Eco Friendly Shoes
It took him two years to try and test his idea and check its applicability in real life. With the help of a local shoe repair store in Mumbai, prototypes of the shoes were made. Ashay was awarded first place at Amity University Dubai’s 2019 Eureka startup pitch competition for his idea. He named his initiative ‘Thaely.’ After this, he received funding for his startup of Thaely and developed the production-ready prototype in Dubai.
Collection of Plastic Waste
The production process is cost-effective, safe, and with the lowest emissions possible. The waste plastic bags get collected from offices, stores, and housing complexes in and around Gurugram. Then it is segregated at the Tritop Technologies Waste Management plant. Here plastic bags is segregated from dry waste. Plastic bags are then washed and sanitized. The extra moisture from the plastic bags is removed by drying them up. All waste management professionals at Trio Tap Technologies are paid fair wages, have access to safe working conditions, and are provided with housing facilities.
The Process of Manufacturing The Shoes
The bags are cut into sheets and fused with heat and pressure. The output is then sent to a shoe manufacturer in Jalandhar, India. Plastic Sheets get cut according to the pattern of the required shoes. The parts of the shoes are put together using vegan glue. The finished product is molded at last to give the shoe a proper shape. The recycled rubber sole is stitched to the upper part of the shoe and bonded with high pressure. rPET shoelaces are made of plastic bottles as well.
Materials Used For Making The Shoes
The inner layer of the sneakers is built of Eco Polyester, a breathable material that is created from recycled plastic bottles. For the outer layer, upcycled plastic material is used. Ethically sourced natural rubber is used to make the sole of the shoes. Natural rubber is eco friendly does not harm rubber trees and forests. Finally, the glue used to put the sneaker together is vegan and free from any animal products. All the components used to make the shoes are 100% eco friendly and vegan.
Leather Like Feel
Each pair of sneakers requires 22 plastic bottles and 15 plastic bags. The production process does not require any additional chemicals. ThaelyTex fabric gets created using recycled plastic waste. The Thaley fabric feels and looks like leather. Then the Thaely fabric is used to create the eco-friendly Thaely Y2k Pro sneakers.
Packaging of The Shoes
The packaging of the shoes has been designed by keeping the benefit of the environment in mind. Each pair of sneakers is packaged in a reusable shopping tote made from 4 plastic bottles & a box made from recycled paper. The box also contains basil seeds & dyed with waste coffee grounds. The customer can simply cut the box open and plant it. A basil plant will grow approximately within 10 days. It is a good substitute for dust bags. The initiative promotes sustainable living and is helping in reducing plastic waste. Mad4India wishes Ashay all the best for all his future endeavors.
If you loved this story, read a story about how The Duo Of Friends, Creates The World’s First Eco-Friendly Tea Bag That Is Completely Plastic Free eco friendly
To know more about Ashay Bhave, please check – LinkedIn eco friendly eco friendly
To know more about Thaely, please check- Website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.
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