The price for a pair of shoes made from used tires is only about $2.50 (equivalent to nearly 60,000 VND). Compared to other types of shoes in Africa, this price is considered very cheap.
With the development of modern industry, many types of waste from the industrial age have emerged everywhere, among which used tires have caused alarming environmental pollution. However, what many people do not expect is that these seemingly useless used tires have become a “treasure” in Africa. Every year, a significant number of Africans import large quantities of used tires from China. So, what are they used for?
Used tires.
Why Do Africans Buy Used Tires from China?
Turning Tires into Sandals
The answer may surprise many: Africans recycle used tires from China into shoes and sandals for sale.
In Africa, recycling tires into footwear is quite common, as most countries on the continent are still developing, and many people do not even have shoes to wear. Since the used tires imported from China are processed and still very cheap, the selling price of shoes made from this material is also very affordable, aligning well with the economic conditions of the people on the African continent.
Tires recycled into sandals.
The price for a pair of shoes made from used tires is only about $2.50 (equivalent to nearly 60,000 VND). Compared to other types of shoes in Africa, this price is considered very cheap. Therefore, many people who previously could not afford shoes and had to go barefoot have rushed to buy these special shoes.
Additionally, because they are made from used tires, these shoes are also very durable, with a pair lasting a long time, making them very popular among the poor in Africa due to cost savings.
These sandals made from tires are very durable.
The inventor of tire shoes is a young African named Malcolm. Born into a poor family, Malcolm quickly became a local tycoon thanks to his idea of making tire shoes after a few years. He has also opened a factory specializing in producing tire shoes and hired designers to create more beautiful and fashionable tire shoe models. In fact, he even opened a one-of-a-kind online store in Africa. Tire shoes are now sold worldwide.
Turning Tires into Floor Tiles
Ifedolapo Runsewe is one of the young entrepreneurs in Nigeria who has made a fortune by transforming old car tires into floor tiles. She founded Freetown Waste Management Recycle, an industrial facility specializing in converting old tires into floor tiles and other high-demand items in Africa’s most populous country.
Inside the tire recycling factory.
Sharing with Reuters, Runsewe stated: “Creating something new from what has been discarded is part of my motivation.”
The young entrepreneur holds a floor tile, one of the company’s best-selling products, and asserts: “We can create an entire value chain around these old tires.”
Tires recycled into floor tiles.
First, Freetown purchases used tires. Some tires are also supplied directly by local mechanics. Akeem Rasaq, a local mechanic, happily expressed:
“Previously, most tires were discarded into the public drainage system, causing blockages, but everything has changed.” Freetown started operations in 2020 with just four employees, but with astonishing growth, the workforce has increased to 128 people. To date, over 100,000 old tires have been recycled into various items, from speed bumps to soft tiles for playgrounds.
Collected old tires.
So why doesn’t China directly convert used tires into items and sell them to Africa?
The reason is that the original idea of “tire shoes” was conceived by an African. Living in a resource-scarce environment, the people here can easily grasp the needs and come up with such creative ideas.
