Nairobi startup turns old tyres into trendy footwear

A man makes footwear from tyres in Ngara market, near Nairobi. - Copyright REUTERS

By Euronews

Published on 30/03/2018 - 18:02

Would you buy a pair of scrap-tyre sandals? A Nairobi startup is all set to bring the new trend to Europe.

Old tyres usually end up in scrap yards full of toxic chemicals and are no use to anyone. However, resourceful craftsmen in Nairobi have recycled the tyres into new trendy footwear, and Germans especially are loving them.

Artisans from Nairobi’s Kariokor market bought the tyres from scrap yards and cut them into sandals which could last five years, attracting customers from far and wide.

The trend first took off among East Africans travelling to the market to get their hands on the merchandise. Now, the Maasai Treads startup is taking the durable footwear to new heights, exporting it to the UK and Germany.

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