ROTTUA turns bike tubes, tires into sandals I
nstead of throwing that old tube or tire in the trash, drop it off at ROTTUA (Booth 176), which will make sure to keep it out of landfills. The Bay Area company repurposes old tires
and tubes into a new line of premium sandals manufactured in San Jose, California. ROTTUA, which stands for Recycling Old
Tires to Use Again, was launched last sum- mer by Jason Figone and Joe Armstrong and they’re exhibiting at the Sea Otter Classic for the first time. They came up with the idea for the com-
pany in 2011. The concept was simple—reuse bicycle tires to give sandals a unique look. But their initial concept grew into something more than bicycle treads as outer sandal straps. ROTTUA blends recycled bicycle tires with
natural rubber for its sandal soles. “We spent a year developing the sole of
the sandal,” Armstrong said. “Our goal was to make a sole that would last for years. Through R&D we created the perfect balance of traction and wear.” “We’ve moved forward with other ideas
such as repurposing bicycle boxes and turning them into boxes for new pairs of sandals,” Armstrong said. The sandal footbeds and liner underneath
the straps are made using a vegan-friendly, high-quality microfiber. “People like the way our sandals hug their
feet and do not slide side to side when you walk, and they like the way the tube liner feels soft between the toes,” Armstrong added. Armstrong said they spent time talking
with local bike shops to understand what was happening with tubes and tires. Storeown- ers want to be responsible, but there was no unified diversion program to prevent tubes and tires from ending up in local landfills. Armstrong said capture rates are less than
50 percent and each county handles waste differently. So they created a simple way for stores to recycle their old tubes and tires and the program has grown from two stores to 17 locations. The company collects tires and tubes from
these stores and the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coali- tion, and donates tires to be reused through their Bicycle Exchange program. ROTTUA offers recycling at events they
attend to help build awareness and has diverted close to 14,000 pounds of tubes and tires from local landfills. “We plan to work with cities and coun- ties in the future to make it easier for people to recycle and start their own local recycling program,” Armstrong said. “This problem is nationwide and one com- pany alone cannot do it all. It will take a unified effort, much like automobile and truck tire recycling programs supported by the state. Our
goal is to bring awareness through our sandals and make a difference,” Armstrong added. ROTTUA made its debut at the Downieville Classic last August. Sandals are available at bicycle retailers and ROTTUA’s online store. Armstrong said they plan to expand their reach and make sandals available at cycling destina- tions. Sandals retail for $79.99. At the Sea Otter Classic, aside from show-
ing its line of sandals, ROTTUA’s booth will be a drop-off location for attendees who want to discard old rubber. All team mechanics will also join in the Sea Otter’s mission to recycle. For more information, go to
www.rottua. com or email
info@rottua.com.
ROTTUA sandals are made from recycled bike tubes and tires and retail for $79.99.
APRIL 18 - 21, 2013
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SEA OTTER
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