BURST THE BUBBLE
In the Netherlands, 1.5 million kilograms of gum ends up stuck to the pavement every year. A group of companies is pulling that gum up off the streets, and turning it into pairs of shoes.
Gumdrop, a Dutch sustainability company, has invented a compound called Gum-Tec, 20 per cent of which is made from gum prised from the streets of Amsterdam. They’ve collaborated with marketing group Iamsterdam and designer Explicit Wear to create GumShoes, which come in bubblegum pink (of course), as well as a more muted black. A kilogram of gum is used in every four pairs of shoes.
To celebrate GumShoe’s origins, each sole has an Amsterdam street map printed in its tread, and the companies are hoping to expand the project to other major cities. “By looking at waste differently, we can find innovative solutions that will bring change to help keep our planet clean,” said Anna Bullus, designer at Gum-Tec.
GumShoe
€190 (approx £170), gumshoe.amsterdam