Whole Foods Tests Feelgoodz
Christina Veiders 1 | May 28, 2009
AUSTIN, Texas Kyle Berner, a free-spirit entrepreneur who founded Feelgoodz, a New Orleans company that produces and markets flip-flops made in Thailand, began a three-week demo tour yesterday of 14 Whole Foods stores in Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas.
Describing himself as not a closedtoe shoe kind of guy, Berner, who spent a year in Thailand teaching English, said he was inspired by the quality and comfort of the all natural rubber flip-flops and decided to launch his company last year to market the footwear in the U.S.
Whole Foods, based here, will test market the flip-flops, which come in 16 styles with a retail price of $19.99, in special displays adjacent to its Whole Body section. Plans are to roll the product out to other stores in the South and Southern Pacific regions, said Berner. Whole Foods liked Feelgoodz for its quality and eco-friendly material consisting of biodegradable natural rubber, hemp, bamboo and recycled paper and flop hangers.
Feelgoodz socially conscious motto of feelin good plus givin back fits with Whole Foods values of caring for communities and the environment. Berner said 3% of his companys revenues goes to supporting a sustainable planet by creating a fair trade natural rubber program in Thailand and creating and sustaining healthy economies in Southeast Asia.
Flippin Fab Eco Friendly And Recycled Flip Flops
Down in sunny Australia, we sure love our thongs!
No, not that kind of thong! Youll need to read our ethical lingerie article for that
Here, were talking sustainable flip flops folks
With over 3 billion sold per year, flip flops are the most popular style of footwear around the world. People have been wearing them for centuries, which is why they are doing less flippin and more floppin.
Namely, by washing up on beaches by the tons along with other plastic waste. We actually did a whole podcast episode on the topic with the inspiring founder of the The Flipfloppi in Kenya.
These cheap plastic versions are generally so flimsy youll be lucky to make them last the summer. While tempting to replace them with a $3 pair, consider investing in a pair that might last for a lot longer!
Any of these vegan, eco friendly and recycled flip flops weve listed here will do the trick.
Remember that repairing the ones you have or buying second hand should be your first choice. You might even score some decent ones through online thrift stores.
However, if nothing flips out at you, choosing to buy sustainably made flip flops from ethical brands is the next best thong, errthing.
And if youre in the market for new flip flops, make sure you properly recycle your broken, old ones before investing in a new pair. Terracycle offers flip flop recycle boxes in various sizes, so convince your friends and family to join in all the waste-free fun!
Materials:
Supply chain & labor practices:
Feelgoodz Flip Flops Slimz Tiki W8 1 Each
- PILLOW-SOFT COMFORT – Only Feelgoodz offers double padded soles for ultimate comfort. Start steppin’ in comfort and style all day long!
- ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY – We only use non-toxic dyes and 5L natural rubber, the highest quality rubber in the world! You can rest easy knowing your Feelgoodz flip flops are are eco-friendly and sustainably conscious.
- FORM FITTING – Experience our original form-fitting design that molds to the bottom of your feet. Our flip flops feel like they were made custom just for you!
- ETHICALLY SOURCED – As with all Feelgoodz products, our flip flops are sourced so that our partnership communities in Thailand and Vietnam are empowered through fair-trade and consistent work opportunities.
- WARRANTY – Feelgoodz footwear is guaranteed against manufacturer’s defects for one year from the date of purchase. Footwear covered by the Feelgoodz guarantee will be replaced at Feelgoodz’s discretion.
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Nexthought Monday How 5000 Stranded Flip
Five years ago this summer, Village Capital made its first investment in Feelgoodz, the first U.S. fair-trade rubber company, which sells comfortable flip-flops that are responsibly manufactured in Thailand, Vietnam and Guatemala. Feelgoodz got a major purchase order from Whole Foods that January, and got Village Capital to back its first shipment.
Village Capitals investment funded Feelgoodz first major line of production, and when the flip-flops reached U.S. shores, demand was so high that customers had bought the whole order. Village Capital received a positive return on its investment, returned the proceeds to investors, and reinvested the principal in Kickboard, which now is helping teachers manage data better to improve student performance in over 40 states. Kickboard took Village Capitals first $100,000 investment and has now raised over $7 million in follow-on capital.
Seems like a great story about how entrepreneurs can build great businesses that also benefit the world, right? Then why is the headline at the beginning of this story so depressing? Like any entrepreneur trying to change the world, the saga of Feelgoodz and the intertwined stories of Village Capital and Kickboard are much more complicated and far more interesting and inspiring than the CliffsNotes presented above.
Rather than reviewing thousands of business plans and only investing in a few ventures, like most other venture firms, we knew there had to be a better way.
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Final Thoughts On Eco Friendly Flip Flop Brands
We try our best to vet brands , so we only include the best.
If you love any of these eco friendly and ethical flip flops, please help us spread the summer love for these ethical flip flop companies that are doing good by sharing this with your friends.
The world loves flip flops, so lets do our part to ensure were all choosing the ones that are actually good for the planet.
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Feelgoodz Flip Flops Slimz Ahoy W8 1 Each
- PILLOW-SOFT COMFORT – Only Feelgoodz offers double padded soles for ultimate comfort. Start steppin’ in comfort and style all day long!
- ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY – We only use non-toxic dyes and 5L natural rubber, the highest quality rubber in the world! You can rest easy knowing your Feelgoodz flip flops are are eco-friendly and sustainably conscious.
- FORM FITTING – Experience our original form-fitting design that molds to the bottom of your feet. Our flip flops feel like they were made custom just for you!
- ETHICALLY SOURCED – As with all Feelgoodz products, our flip flops are sourced so that our partnership communities in Thailand and Vietnam are empowered through fair-trade and consistent work opportunities.
- WARRANTY – Feelgoodz footwear is guaranteed against manufacturer’s defects for one year from the date of purchase. Footwear covered by the Feelgoodz guarantee will be replaced at Feelgoodz’s discretion.
Feelgoodz: Unbridled Passion In A Laid
Four years ago, 29-year-old Kyle Berner threw some essentials in a backpack and boarded a plane to Thailand in search of adventure. He spent a year living like the locals while teaching English in a rural village. But unbeknownst to him, he was laying the foundation for Feelgoodz LLC, an environmentally conscious flip-flop brand that he hopes will become a vehicle for creating positive social change. When he returned to the U.S., he resolved to find a way to give back.
A year later, he found himself in back in Thailand for a friend’s wedding, and while strolling though a bustling market, one of his flip-flops snapped. In need of a new pair, he stumbled on a display of “curiously comfortable” all-natural rubber flops, and a light-bulb went off. He tracked down the supplier and learned that Thailand happens to be a leading global exporter of natural rubber and can produce superior rubber products at reasonable prices. Selling the flip-flops in the U.S., he figured, would not only introduce a quality product, but also support the Thai rubber industry.
Through a combination of investment from friends and family, a savvy business partner, line of credit, a few grants and some loans, Feelgoodz was born. Since the New Orleans-based company launched in 2008, its annual revenues have grown to $175,000 and its list of outlets have expanded to include 120 Whole Foods locations and more than 50 independent U.S. retailers. Here are a few lessons he has learned the past two years:
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Guardians Of Our Future
Guardians of Our Future is based in New South Wales, Australia and was started by a lady that had been working in the fashion industry and was also helping youngsters that were at risk and disadvantaged women.
A combination of part FSC certified natural rubber and part recycled rubber is used to make the blended recycled rubber flip-flops. Sustainably harvested materials are used and a Fair Trade facility in Sri Lanka produces them.
They will re-recycle your flip-flops into furniture if you return it to them.
