Kenyans turn old car tyres into functional footwear

It might seem hard to believe, but waste car tyres are being using as a key raw material in the production of functional footwear.

In Kenya, enterprising locals are turning waste car tyres into so-called “akala sandals”.

The sandals sell on the streets of Nairobi for anywhere from $2 to $5 a pair – considerably less than retail footwear sold nearby, and boasting 10 times the longevity.

In fact, Maasai tribesmen, who roam southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, have commonly worn these durable sandals – also known as “thousand-milers” – for decades to walk through brush tougher than rhino hide.