PaperFlops employs underprivileged people, including street children and disabled people, at a creative workshop in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to convert newspapers and other waste ...  into flip flops !  And beyond being recycled, they are just really cool-looking flip flops.

It takes about 1kg of old newspaper, and some other natural materials (root from old palm trees, coconut shells, and 100% natural rubber) to make a pair of PaperFlops.   And the flip flops are protected with a natural rubber sealant -- so not only are the flip flops recycled and stylish, but they are durable and water proof too!

The PaperFlops are currently distributed for 26euro on Ulule, a crowdfunding platform, kind of like Kickstarter but with a more social and environmental focus.

When I was in Laos, I came across a similar project called Peuan Mit ("Close Friend" in Lao) dedicated to helping street children re-integrate into Lao society with a number of training solutions - including a delicious restaurant called Makphet and an awesome little store called the Noi Noi Shop with crafts made out of recycled materials and made by the parents of street children.  I got this cool newspaper-purse at the shop which I still use after 4 years:

If you're in Vientiene, you must check out the Makphet restaurant and Noi Noi shop.

If you won't be in Vientiene anytime soon, but you find yourself in the Boulder area, you should check out MomentuM, a store which carries beatiful handmade crafts often made from recycled materials.

But first step, I just ordered my PaperFlops.  Did you?