One Recycled Tire r3duced r3used & r3cycled Into Flat Tire Sandals

July 19, 2012 - PRLog -- Concept: The r3-gear concept for the Flat Tire and ReTread sandals was born in Africa. The people of Kenya have to make-due with what they have, this being the case they have a great since on ingenuity. The original prototype for the Flat Tire was brought back to Tennessee by a missionary. Upon seeing the uniquely simple design and craftsmanship of the sandals we knew that there would be a market for them as well as a way to help the people of Kenya.


Production: The Flat Tire and ReTread sandals are hand crafted in a vocational center in Kenya Africa by the widows and orphans of the area. In giving them a vocation and training them with the skills needed to produce the r3-gear line it ensures that they have a steady income and are able to provide for themselves for such basic needs as food, shelter and clothing. The workers in the facility are paid on a production basis opposed to an hourly wage to ensure that they are treated fairly and paid equally for their efforts.
Proceeds: For every pair of the Flat Tire and ReTread sandals sold r3-gear will be making a 15% contribution of the gross sale price donated to the people of Kenya. By making such contributions we are able to encourage new product to be presented to see if there is a global market and ensure continued economic growth for the area.


Recycling: The r3-gear name comes from the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle movement to have everyone do their part to preserve the natural resources of our planet. At r3-gear our idea is to make products available that have been “Reduced, Reused and Recycled” to ensure the consumer that the materials in our products are either all natural or have been diverted from landfills worldwide.


Tire Recycling Facts: In 2006 over 300 million new tires were shipped out to be used by cars and trucks. About 80 percent or 240 million were used by passenger cars and about 20 percent used by trucks. According to the EPA in the year 2003 over 290 million scrap tires were generated by trucks, planes, heavy equipment, off-road and scrapped vehicles. Besides this yearly generation there is an estimated 2 to 3 billion that have accumulated over the years and are contained in various stockpiles. When tires are recycled pollution and energy consumption are reduced. The most beneficial use for old tires is to find new uses for these old thought still valuable materials. The next ideally beneficial use is reusing old tires by retreading them. Rubber is also used as playground mulch, roadbed material, running tracks and walkways. There is also some evidence of reduced injuries and reduced vehicle maintenance but there is not adequate documentation for this. The biggest environmental benefit may be the reduced mining for traditional materials like sand and gravel.

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