Every year in the Netherlands, around 1,5 million kilos of chewing gum ends up on pavements. Chewing gum, made from a type of synthetic rubber that takes between 20 and 25 years to break down, is a serious source of harm for the environment.
There's a flip-side though: gum is no longer a nuisance substance when it can be recycled. Amsterdam shoe brand Explicit, along with IAmsterdam and Gumtec have proved that meaningful products, such as shoes can be made from waste gum!
These shoes take a step closer to litter-free pavements and raise awareness about recycling and sustainability on the streets of Amsterdam. Instead of complaining about the state of the gum-strewn pavements, they have gone and created something useful, beautiful and downright hip!