studio schneemann: a flip flop story

commonly though of as disposable footwear, the foam is recreated into toys, lamps or otherwise patterned forms. image © designboom

netherlands-based designer diederik schneemann‘s project ‘a flip flop story’ chronicles the discolored, patched up, and inter-ocean journey of flip flops. after being used and worn through, they eventually find their way to the garbage or sewage and out into the ocean, making their journey to the shores of eastern africa. it is there that they are found, collected, and eventually reclaimed and recycled into a collection of design objects translating and retelling the story of the shoes. the random nature of the colors available and the patterns formed creates a unique pattern to the remolded objects. the collection is on display at milan design week 2011.

image © designboom

left: detail of flower pot construction. right: mobile flower pot in use.

gaining new functions in a new life, the sandals are used as all kinds of objects including lamps and mobile vases. image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

left: collection of sandals on the beaches of east africa. right: organized into colors for later production.