These Three Brands Are Giving A New Purpose To Old Tyres By Upcycling Them Into Bags And Footwears

Who would have thought that worn-out or punctured tyre tubes that usually reach a landfill can be stitched up? 'The Second Life', a purpose-driven brand by Raahul Khadaliya, sources discarded and waste tyre tubes locally in Bengaluru. These are then upcycled and repurposed to produce stylish bags that cost anywhere between Rs. 3000 to Rs. 5000 depending on the sizes.

Raahul was very young when he met with an accident and it was his recovery after the accident that got him thinking that why not convert discarded materials into new products, because they too can have a second life. Rethink waste and livelihoods that is the aim of 'The Second Life'.

To make bags, the waste is first segregated, washed and cleaned with coconut oil to make it more hygienic. Following this patterns are made and the bag is prepared by hand.

Raahul Khadaliya who has a design background puts the skills of local artisans to use and gives a new lease of life to waste products. The brand makes chic, stylish and environmentally friendly bags.

Ever thought of slippers and shoes made from discarded and worn-out tyres? Well, this has been made possible by 'Paaduks', a brand that aims at social change and manufactures only eco-friendly slippers and shoes.

Mumbai-based Amit Jain runs an online footwear showroom named Paaduk.com, where shoes are made from worn-out or discarded tyres that are collected and found.

The journey of a tire from scrap to footwear is quite an interesting one. Right from the soles made from tyres and the straps made from tubes, everything used in these slippers and shoes keeps in mind the impact on the environment.

The artisans working at Paaduks are no ordinary cobblers. They are skilled and former cobblers who have lost their jobs because of fast fashion. Paaduks takes care of the environment, the comfort of the feet, and the fashion aspect and doesn't put a burden on the pocket either. Since its inception in 2013, Paaduks has upcycled more than one million kilos of tyres so far.

With the fashion industry also adding to the pollution are we as consumers doing enough for the environment? It was this question that led Shailaja Rangarajan to start her own brand Rimagined. The idea popped when Shailaja was volunteering full time in waste management for around five years.

They say, one man's waste is another man's treasure and that is exactly how Shailaja saw the waste material - as a great resource. Rimagined works with different waste materials like fabric waste sourced from garment manufacturers, retail stores, and individuals who give away their discarded fabric. Other waste includes tyre tube waste, woolen yarns and denim.

The quality check at Rimagined plays an extremely important role since they work with waste material. The process begins with sourcing the waste material, then cleaning and sanitising of the raw material. A quality check happens at every stage. After cleaning, the design element comes into play where precision in cutting is key.

Not just with their products, Rimagined is promoting sustainability in all aspects. Elaborating on the same, Shailaja spoke about a founding principle of Rimagined that it is about sustainable living and sustainable working conditions.