Indosole Blog & News

On January 01, 2017 we awoke with a realization that Indosole needed a face lift, a brand elevation, a breath of fresh air if you will. So, we decided to slow down and take a look around by analyzing the market and what the average consumer actually wants in year 2017. What we found was that sustainable fashion and vegan goods are getting popular, very popular. But we also found that people do not necessarily want to step outside their comfort zone unless they can perceive a real value and style upgrade along the way to justify spending hard earned money. Well, truthfully we have observed this dilemma for years. So, we decided we needed to shock the system, dig deep, and conceptualize a new product that would have us continue to raise the bar in our market while offering our customer a comfortable, affordable, and easy product they can relate to in their everyday lives. We wanted to create a legacy product for our brand and also for the future of the conscious footwear market. The idea for “The most ECOnomical Flip Flop in the world” shone through when we decided on our new product, The ESSNTLS. However daunting, we looked down the barrel of 8 months of hard work to get this product to market, but knew that it would be well worth it if we could check all the boxes and follow our brand ethos of responsible sourcing and manufacturing along the way. Holding this commitment kept us faithful through the slogging months and had us believe that the ESSNTLS will be special and will positively influence our industry and world.  We followed a 3 phase process to take: Concept - To Action - To Your Feet: Here we are at the end of 2017 having worked nearly a FULL year on this product. ESSNTLS have been on the market for 3 full months and the response has been phenomenal as we begin the next phase. We have some exciting announcements coming soon! What is the next phase you may ask??! EXECUTION in 2018 is our answer. For us, you, Indonesia, and the rest of the world. Thanks for your support in 2017 and enjoy our highlight photos from this past year: Love, The Indosole Crew

The Kota high top is modern tire sole footwear at it's finest! The ladies love it for its versatility, and we often see them styled to toughen up an otherwise "girly" outfit. Guys love the Kota because of how easy it is to throw them on without having to think twice about it. Not to mention, the handy zipper makes the Kota easy to slip on and off, which everyone can appreciate. From cycling to skateboarding to park strolling, this shoe is perfect for life in the city. Learn more about this shoe's unique materials and features below. Don't forget to search the hashtag #KotaHightop on Instagram to see how people are styling their Kotas!  

We are hitting the road... and the next stop is Facebook HQ in Menlo Park! Our pop-up shop will be open to Facebook employees this Tuesday, January 19, 2016. We are really looking forward to bringing our #SolesWithSoul and introducing them to the FB community. Do you friends who are working at 1 Hacker Way? Let them know we'll be headed there soon with lots of product to choose from!

What a great year 2015 was. The nice thing about Instagram is the fact that you can easily scroll through to look back on the year, and we loved going through all the fan photos from 2015. It warms our hearts to know that you are taking your Indos on lots of adventures, from lakes to camp sites to beaches to the city pavement. We look forward to seeing your tags this year! Look us up @indosole & don't forget to use our hashtags #TiresToSoles and #SolesWithSoul.  Click here to see the full feed.  

On November 14, 2015 we partnered with the non-profit charity Yayasan Solemen Indonesia to bring much-needed goods to a small community of scavengers living in Waringan (Sanur), Bali. Indosole distributed rice and 50 pairs of footwear to the community, while Solemen distributed 111 towels and 50 bed sheets donated by the Bali Dynasty Resort. The scavengers and trash pickers (known as pemulung in Indonesian) make a living by collecting plastic bottles to trade in for cash. According to the Waringan residents, 1 kg of plastic yields Rp. 3,000 (approximately $ 0.21). We were moved by the their resilience and sense of community – they get by on very little but their lives are not bleak. There was laughter, and smiles were in abundance. It goes to show that you don't need a lot of physical "things" to be content with life.              There are many communities in Bali that are in need of assistance and donations. To find out how you can help visit the website of Yayasan Solemen Indonesia. To learn more about how Indosole reduces strain on the environment by repurposing tires into the soles of footwear visit Our Story page.

We’ve handpicked some of our favorite Indosole products to suit an array of lifestyles! 1. For the Backpacker: Innertubed sandal This sandal is perfect for that friend or family member who heads out of town and into nature at any opportunity. They practically live in hiking boots, but post-hike they need something to wear while hanging around the campsite or exploring near a lake. 2. For the Urban Dweller: Kota hightop 3. For the Market Lover: Indo canvas bag This is the friend who is constantly dragging you to farmers markets, vintage stores, and antiques fairs. This roomy bag with repurposed rice sack lining can be easily wiped down after carrying leaky jars of jam or dusty antique bowls. 4. For the Busy Parent: Kelapa shoe This is the friend or family member who is going from work to a PTA meeting to a basketball game to the grocery store and back again. They would really appreciate something cute and comfy to get from one place to the next. 5. For the Indo Enthusiast: Indo trucker hat  

How do you think Indosole turns discarded tires into the soles of footwear? As a certified B Corporation we use a process that's responsible yet promises high quality footwear. You may have seen our production process snapshots on social media - we have several divisions dedicated to working on different parts of our footwear. Scroll down to see some recent snapshots from the tire cutting division. The process of producing Indos doesn't involve any sort of melting down or reforming of the tires - just strong hands and minds at work here!

Starting a business is often a rocky road but a rewarding experience. Kai Paul, Indosole’s Vice President, was recently interviewed by Claudia Eslah for Cause An Effekt, a podcast that features “disruptive entrepreneurs” to empower and educate others on building their businesses. In this interview Kai talks about a range of topics, from how fate brought him to Indosole, the process of designing the first pair of Indos, why money and finances are so important in startups, and how allotting time for play can lead to better work quality. Have a listen to the interview here.

"JJ" is short for “jalan-jalan,” which is Indonesian slang for going out and seeing the sights. This super light and comfortable shoe was designed to be your go-to for running around town – all you need to do is lace them up and get moving! The JJ features our signature repurposed tire soles as well as voxing made from tire innertubes. What else make this versatile lace-up so special? See for yourself in our handy infographic above. Click here to shop the Men’s JJ (also available in classic black) and here to shop the Women’s JJ (available in three colors).