PART ONE
THE PROBLEM
There is a massive amount of tire waste in the world
Waste tires sit in stockyards, illegal dumping sites, and even rivers. In tropical countries tires can become breeding grounds for mosquitos, which lead to nasty diseases like malaria and dengue fever.
It is nearly impossible for tires to decompose
Due to their structure, tires take thousands of years to decompose. So technically the first tire ever made is still out there somewhere.
Tires are being burned, leading to toxic oils and fumes
In third world countries tires are used as a cheap alternative for fuel. This, along with tires that catch fire due to lightning storms, result in toxic oils and fumes that are harmful for human health. We need to act fast.
Our Solution
We repurpose these indestructible tires into the soles of some of the most durable footwear around.
#tirestosoles
JOB : Founder & President
INDOS OF CHOICE : Grass Mat sandal
FAVE PASTIME : Skateboarding in SF
SAY HELLO : kyle@indosole.com
In 2004, Kyle Parsons went to Bali for the first time.
During his trip he purchased a pair of sandals with soles made from motorbike tires. The unique sandals prompted Kyle to learn more about the worldwide tire problem, and he found that over one billion waste tires end up in landfills every year. This made him even more appreciative of the resourcefulness that lead to the creation of his sandals.
Kyle became determined to get back to Bali to pursue his new passion for repurposed tire sole footwear. The landscape and people of Indonesia had captivated him and he hoped that by transforming discarded tires into soles, he could do his part to help alleviate Indonesia’s pollution problem.
In 2009 Indosole was launched. Today Kyle is Indosole’s CEO and handles sales worldwide. You can find him at the Church of Surf, our San Francisco headquarters in the heart of Ocean Beach, California.
The Indo Crew
Kai
Kai met Kyle at a trade show in 2009 as the brand was being established and took interest immediately, being born and raised in Java, Indonesia. Today Kai handles operations in Indonesia and manages manufacturing and design out of Bali HQ.
JOB : Vice President
INDOS OF CHOICE : Kota hightop
FAVE PASTIME : Lake Tahoe chilling
SAY HELLO : kai@indosole.com
Mutia
Mutia wrote an article on Indosole in 2014 for a Bali magazine and became an instant fan. Having kept in touch with Kai, Mutia came on full time in 2015. She handles copywriting, PR, communications, and social media out of Bali HQ.
JOB : PR & Communications Manager
INDOS OF CHOICE : Biku sandal
FAVE PASTIME : Yoga
SAY HELLO : mutia@indosole.com
Killian
Killian met Indosole’s first intern while he was playing soccer at the University of San Francisco and was pointed to the Church of Surf. He now manages warehouse inventory and invoicing out of San Francisco HQ.
JOB : CX and Operations Manager
INDOS OF CHOICE : Kota hightop
FAVE PASTIME : Motorbike riding
SAY HELLO : killian@indosole.com
Agus
Agus is head of our tire sourcing team. He not only buys our tires from mechanics but also educates them on why burning tires is harmful for the environment. Without him we would not have the materials that make our footwear unique.
JOB : Head of Tire Sourcing
INDOS OF CHOICE : Double 6 sandal
FAVE PASTIME : Long drives
SAY HELLO : indo@indosole.com
Siti
Siti is the manager at our Indo workshop. She keeps her eye on quality control and the artisans’ time management. Things would not run as smoothly as they do without the managing skills of this special lady. indosole.com
JOB : Workshop Manager
INDOS OF CHOICE : Ikhanna sandal
FAVE PASTIME : Spending time with family
SAY HELLO : indo@indosole.com
Indosole is a certified B Corporation — one of over 1,000 companies using business as a force for good.
Our certification in 2014 is proof that we meet the rigorous standards of social and environmental performance required by the nonprofit B Lab. We are transparent with our operations, routinely providing glimpses of our production process on our social media platforms. We are proud to be a B Corp, which is to business what Fair Trade certification is to coffee or USDA Organic certification is to milk.
Our workshop is:
Professional
Staffed by professional adult artisans
Safe
Sanitary, safe, and abundant with natural light
Healthy
A positive environment with music and laughter
The idea of turning tires into soles came from the Indonesian people.
Through ingenuity they, like many cultures around the world, managed to turn trash into something functional and new. We are on a quest to magnify this concept, to produce tire sole footwear on a larger scale, to make it more acceptable to the masses and eventually more preferable. We have continually developed our tire sole footwear to ensure that it is fashionable and super comfortable. We hope you will join us on our quest to save 1 million tires from negatively impacting our environment. Come along on our journey by following us on social media and helping us spread the word.