![]() Also, they were much more flexible and comfortable. The first thing I noticed was how much softer they felt than my other flip-flops. My test shoes arrived just in time for Spring Break and slipped nicely into my southbound luggage.įor 8 days I lived in these shoes, escorting me on shopping trips, beach dates, and even an afternoon spent strolling on a boardwalk spotting manatees. I thought that while the natural materials were a dream come true, the actual fit and comfort could be lackluster. In my experience products that are trying too hard to be everything often fall short. OLLI sent us a pair to try for ourselves, and here’s the verdict. So, what about the final product, and how does it stand up to the cheaply-made, over-priced, and chemical ridden competition? Heather has personally visited every factory they work with in Sri Lanka, proving her passion for the product, process, and working conditions for the people who make these fair trade flip-flops. OLLI pays a premium for the natural rubber to ensure these workers receive fair wages, medical care and safe working conditions. These striving sibling entrepreneurs were now able to source the natural rubber, and also ensure safe and fair working conditions for the tappers. With more research, they came across the Fair Rubber Association and from there OLLI was born. Heather and Holly persevered, insistent on becoming the solution to the problem. This could have been the collapse of their dream, instead it energized them. During their travels they were witness to poverty and exploitation, and were shocked by the living conditions of many rubber tappers. The sisters soon learned that eco-friendly didn’t necessarily mean humane. A “tapper creates an incision in the tree and the milk is collected in a cup. The rubber is extracted from a rubber tree (Hevea Brasiliensis). Natural rubber is collected through a system very similar to the collection of maple syrup. Together the Shuster sisters journeyed to Southeast Asia in search of natural rubber. In pursuit of an earth-friendly flip-flop Heather decided to team up with her sister Holly. Renewable and biodegradable has long been the popular choice for consumers looking for clothing and accessories that make us look good, and also helps us feel good. From A-list celebrities participating in red-carpet Green Dress Challengesto tourists looking for eco-friendly beachwear. And if that doesn’t scare the PVC out of you, go ahead and google “phthalates” for more reasons to quit plastic. ![]() ![]() If you’re like me, you live in flip-flops during the warmer months, but bare skin swaddled in phthalates, a group of chemicals used to make plastic more soft and flexible, isn’t the relaxed vibe I’m looking for. Inundated with low quality options that hurt her feet, and the environment, she was determined to source a shoe that wasn’t cheaply made with harsh chemicals. Heather’s disappointment in the lack of comfortable, reasonably priced, eco-friendly shoes quickly became a crusade. ![]()
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