The Dutch people definitely chew a lot of gum. Every year we carelessly spit out 1.5 million kilos of chewing gum onto the streets. District councils work hard to keep the streets clean. It’s unpleasant and above all expensive. That’s why two Amsterdam-based partners thought it would be a good idea to make a shoe from recycled bubble gum. The Gumshoe was born.
Although the colour will not appeal to every sneaker lover, these sneakers do have an effective message: Keep the streets clean. As the name suggests, the Gumshoe is made completely of recycled chewing gum from the street.
“By looking at waste differently, we can find innovative solutions that will bring change to help keep our planet clean” Anna Bullus, designer Gum-tec.
“Amsterdam is a city to be proud of, a city that we’d also like to keep clean. The district council can’t do this alone and therefore we work together with entrepreneurs and residents”, says local councillor Marijn Bosman. The sole features a map of the Amsterdam city centre together with the three famous crosses and a short line stating: “Made with recycled chewing gum.”
As we all know, chewing gum is not biodegradable and easily remains stuck to paving stones for 25 years. The proceeds of the Gumshoe sale will be (partly) donated to Dutch municipalities. The bright pink shoe is a limited edition. Famous Amsterdam residents like Shane Kluivert and Donny Roelvink have already shown their support. It makes sense, because with these sneakers you can make a proper statement!
