A bit of history. In Bali - outside areas of wealthy persons - we have tons of plastic rubbish nowadays. But, alas: no recycling facilities for most types of this artificial waste! Pollution of environment due to "modernization” is a very serious problem - not only in Bali, but in a whole of the so-called "developing" and "developed" world. Particularly, in this small island of Bali (Indonesia), millions of broken rubber and plastic sandals pollute both earth and water bodies.

Typically, after strap of only one sandal brakes apart, the pair is immediately abandoned by the local owner. Why? It is due to the local owner strives to show him-/herself as a person capable of buying many new things, of being careless in regard of:

1. Mother Earth,

2. God the Father,

3. his own money,

4. beauty of his own island etc.

You may ask: "Why?" We answer: Hmm... Well... There is no any rational explanation behind it! It's all is just this: "Am I worse than the white rich man?” -hysteria. Nothing more, nothing less. This hysteria, this sheer stupidity has already spoilt Nature not only in Bali and not only in Indonesia alone, but throughout the whole so-called "developing” world. Anyway, watching Earth, rivers and beaches being full of garbage made me (the author of this website) feel sad. Should we waste our love for Bali along with some shoes? Just not so long ago (before development of tourism started) wasn't Bali indeed a green Paradise? As result of too much plastic waste, soil even becomes unfit for planting vegetables: different plastics and rubbers extract poisons into the ground in which they’re hidden. These poisons are further absorbed by vegetables, so that last become dangerous. If consumed regularly, such poisoned vegetables can lead to diseases such as cancer. At first, I thought of finding solution for the plastic waste problem in general. There are no recycling facilities in Bali. So, around November 2006 I simply started to collect and burn plastic packs and other plastic waste which was found near my bamboo tent and in other places which I happened to visit. Later some local boys joined me and cleaned areas around their own houses in Karangasem. And, in addition, we’ve also started planting local species of trees: with view of reducing polluting effect of smoke which results from burning of plastics. As for wasted shoes, well: I found out that majority of them are in such good condition that fixing them and using again is a matter worthy of our precious time. Then - one sunny day - I happened to see a pair of beautiful traditional sandals on feet of one of my Balinese friends: I Wayan Mantra. This is when the idea of upgrading old sandals (in a way you just saw on the image) was born. As photos show: we embrace wasted sandals and give them a new life - by covering them with new layers of natural local materials: a sort of strong grass, bark of "Buah” -palm, and/or some other. Wayan Mantra is just as skillful in making shoes as he is good in wood-carving.

Ten first pairs of "Made in Bali"-shoes are ready and given to our friends, and.., what can I add, my dear readers? We are proud to wear these sandals. Cause they’re just good!