Indosole Blog & News

Next week Indosole will be attending the world famous Agenda trade show in Long Beach, CA on July 8th and 9th. We'll be in great company with tons of other brands showcasing future products and lines. If you happen to be reading this and attending next week, you can stop by booth #G5 in "the woods." On July 8th after a super long first day of Agenda (getting there, setting up, talking A LOT, etc.) come out to Rainbow Harbor from 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm for a Sunset Happy Hour on our boat the "Merry Berry." Please email indo@indosole.com for more information or if you would like book an appointment. View our catalog here.

Kai Paul, Vice president, and positive vibe creator of Indosole was recently interviewed on Life Athletics. A podcast dedicated to sharing stories about life, failures, and any other topics that will inspire and help listeners improve their own lives and "level up."  Among other things, Kai discusses his moments of gratitude, the importance of failure, and moments of success he’s had at Indosole. Listen to this awesome and very inspiring interview here.

Blogger Sara Montazami loves spending time in Bali, and we’re excited to have her rocking our Biku sandals and Indo trucker hat. Says Sara on her Instagram account, “Not only do these guys have great products, they have the best story to tell.” Thanks for the love, Sara! Check out her blog post featuring Indosole here.

HelloBali is Bali's leading lifestyle magazine that covers up and coming news and everything else you need to know about living in this beautiful and amazing part of the world.  In celebration of HelloBali magazine’s 20th anniversary, an article called “20 Inspirators” was published in May 2015 and our very own Kyle Parsons, the founder of Indosole, was included in the list! We’re thrilled to see Kyle featured alongside musicians, activists, restaurateurs, creatives, etc. who are doing great things for the island of Bali. Read the article here. Happy anniversary and thanks for the feature, HelloBali!

We were recently highlighted in a great article by Kiva about Fashion Revolution Day, a day held to advocate for more transparency in the fashion industry and improvement of working conditions for garment workers worldwide. The article asks readers to think about where their clothing comes from, and whether they know who made their clothes. That is a concept that has always been very important to us. As a certified B Corporation we hold a high standard for our factories and offices, and value transparency in the production of our products. Read the article here. We know who make your Indos, do you? Meet Komang! She's the best! You can read about her and another factory worker named Dodi here.

For our friends at 5 Gyres, 2015 is a big year. For those who aren’t familiar, 5 Gyres is a nonprofit that works to reduce plastic pollution in our oceans and waterways – places very dear to Indosole’s heart. In January they revamped their mission statement to include more specific goals: To engage people in policy and design solutions to end the global health crisis of plastic pollution. In addition to taking a reactionary standpoint and cleaning the world’s ocean plastic collection sites known as gyres, they have initiated campaigns with proactive solutions. An example of this is the Microbead Campaign known as “Ban the Bead” that focuses on eliminating plastic microbeads from personal care products. “Stiv Wilson introduced legislation to prohibit the sale of plastic microbeads in personal care products in Vermont and Hawaii. An introduction legislation in California will soon follow. This legislation is meant to close a loophole in similar industry sponsored bills passed in Illinois and New Jersey that allow for so called 'biodegradable' plastics such as polylactic acid or PLA. This type of polymer does not biodegrade in the environment. The Ban the Bead petition has collected a total of 7,000 signatures.” ~ 5 Gyres Newsletter 5 Gyres will soon set sail aboard the Spirit of South Carolina for an epic 3-leg expedition. Starting in Palm Beach, Florida the crew of around 30 will be headed to the Bahamas, then to Bermuda, and from Bermuda to Charleston, South Carolina. On the first leg they plan to study the impact of plastic on the ecosystem – both in and surrounding the North Atlantic Gyre – including marine life and the people living in nearby coastal and island nations. Jack Johnson, the musician and ocean advocate, will be joining the team to raise awareness and assist in a conference piloting innovative design solutions such as the Solar Plastic Brick Oven. In the Bahamas, this project will allow islanders to upcycle plastic waste into literal building blocks (pictured below). The 5 Gyres team has a packed schedule before they push off in early June, and there’s plenty of room for public involvement. On February 12th the My Plastic Valentine party took place at Establish store in the Sunset district of San Francisco, directly across the street from the Church of Surf (Indosole’s HQ). More events are on the horizon to make change in local Bay Area waterways as well as raise awareness about plastic pollution worldwide. Opportunities to get involved can be found here: http://5gyres.org/how_to_get_involved/campaigns-microbead/

With a reputation of re-purposing materials, we felt an urge to further explore the space of the local landfill. We pushed ourselves and are now proud to introduce the newest version of our Innertube sandals. The functionality, durability, and comfort of this fan favorite have been elevated, and has become an essential addition to everyone's sandal collection. With soles and straps made from innertubes, they are incredibly lightweight, flexible, and has a textured footbed (with pattern symbolizing tire treads). These slip-on-and-go sandals are perfect for quick trips to the beach, lounging around the house, or a day out with your friends. The footbed is laser cut to follow the shape of the bottom of a foot, so no need for breaking-in. There’s also a laser engraved logo now instead of screen print, for a sleeker overall look. AAAANNND Completely waterproof! - Now, go get wet! All of this awesome for just $30 retail! The Innertubed is available for both men and women.

The inspiration for this year’s collection ‘Pathways’ comes from our belief that life is a journey and there are many paths that we can lead ourselves down. We want you to forge the path to your dreams with this collection on your feet. ‘Pathways’ has taken Indosole’s signature products and made them more comfortable, practical, and fashionable than ever. Additionally, we have given urban dwellers something to rock on the city streets with our NEW RELEASES: The Kota hightop and the JJ lowtop for Men and Women. About the Kota: Kota - meaning city in Indonesian - is designed to be your new go-to hightop when cruising the big city. Aside from our signature tire soles, this shoe is unique in featuring repurposed tire innertube on the toe cap and voxing, making it durable for all your wild adventures - biking, skating or being out and about on the town. About the JJ: Meet the JJ, your new everyday versatile lace-up shoe. “JJ” is short for “jalan-jalan,” Indonesian slang for seeing the sights and tripping around. The JJ shoe’s signature soles are from repurposed waste tires and the durable voxing is from repurposed tire innertube, so get out there and jalan-jalan. New Patterns: This year’s patterns are inspired by the handmade ceramics of Native American tribes, and the spirit of self-expression and creation. Pathways designer and artist Alan Gonzalez explains, “I am inspired by those who are passionate enough to create and strong enough to make their own mark for the world to see.” Our new Indos are perfect for running around the city, whether you’re going from meeting to meeting or out and about with friends. Shop the new styles here!

This month we were featured in the newest issue of Bali & Beyond magazine (April 2015), in a great article titled ‘Cool as Green’ profiling eco-conscious brands such as Utama Spice, Saraswati Papers, Biowear, and the Bali Recycling Company. Author Ariko Ahmad points out, “I personally have never put on any shoes more comfortable than Indosole’s. My favorite is their Prahu “Boat” Shoe that is totally versatile and super chic,” a statement we completely agree with. If you want to experience what Ariko is talking about, go here for Men, or here for women, and get yourself a pair! We are as always extremely grateful for the coverage in Bali & Beyond Magazine, and to be featured alongside some awesome companies that work hard to do good. Read the full article here.