Green entrepreneurial ideas that take resources out of the landfill, provide employment for people in emerging economies, and result in super practical products – sounds like a winning green business combination to me!
UBeauty Recycled Tire Garden Pots
Upcycling used, worn tires, UBeauty is a company that’s producing garden pots to benefit Pakistani communities and the planet, too. Started by an Australian company, UBeauty’s tire planters are constructed by underemployed people in Pakistan out of an old leather workshop using old tires that would otherwise sit in a landfill and pose fire hazards.
The tires are stripped of remaining tread, hand cut, and stitched together by hand using durable nylon thread. Any excess rubber tread or steel belting is recycled, too, making it a wholly-green business model. And the great news is that the company operates according to Ethical Trading Initiative standards. To date, the pots are only available in Tasmania or Melbourne for between AUD 10 to AUD 75.
PaperFlops Recycled Newsprint Sandals
Created using upcycled newspapers by the new Indonesian company, PaperFlops, are green sandals that are great for the environment and provide a boost to local economies. Using other recycled and natural materials like coconut shells, biodegradable materials, natural rubber, and palm tree roots, mentally and physically marginalized individuals stitch them all together into functional green footwear. Each pair of sandals uses up 1 kilogram of newsprint, and is finished with a natural sealant to keep them durable even in wet weather.
