Check Out These Old Ho’s.. the Sandals made at the Old Ho Shoe Factory If you are like us, you love minimalist footwear especially in hot weather. we have several pairs of these earth friendly tire sandals and love them. have you made yours yet ?
Genuine Viet Minh / Viet Cong, Ho Chi Minh Tire Sandals Made in Cambodia by Old Ho’s Rubber Sandal Company from 100% recycled tires
Old Ho’s Rubber Tire Sandals are hand-made in Cambodia from old tires. The sandals are snug fitting and comfortable, making great footwear for everyday wear, going to the beach, or backcountry travel.
The History of Tire Sandals
Rubber tire sandals were used extensively by the Viet Minh and Viet Cong during the war in Vietnam from the late 1940’s until the fall of Saigon in 1979. In the face of equipment shortages the guerilla army of Vietnam turned to using old truck tires as footwear and quickly saw the advantages of the resulting sandals compared to boots. The climate of jungle-Southeast Asia is harsh.
During the war many American infantrymen suffered from “trench-foot” or fungal infections which resulted from wearing boots in the humid climate. Many looked with envy to the sandals worn by the enemy. Tragically, this footwear is also widely associated with the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime which ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. Only the upper cadre of the Khmer Rouge wore these sandals and it was a sign of political power within the regime. They were seen as a good example of self-sufficiency and were very practical.
check out this man having his made on the market in Ethiopia
The simplest way to get them is of course to buy them premade, but we know how much you love a challange so we embarked on a find and make campaign today. check out these really nice ones made from flipflops on Etsy. The Designer is even nice enough to provide you with the directions FREE. Yes I Said FREE - so you know these are top quality when you Make Them Yourself.
Nice Huh..
well why not make some yourself - using this pattern from annekata.com. this is the first step in what she did and the materials she used.. we don’t want to give it away because we want you to go over there and see what she did. which is really simplistic and very chic.
- Flip flops (remember, used flip flops work great, and are more eco-friendly) - Scissors - Piece of chalk or marker - Craft knife - Heavy duty waterproof glue - Recycled T-shirts - Screw driver - Flat butter knife or thin plastic ruler to stuff fabric into the soles - Clamps (or heavy books)
See it doesn’t take rocket science to make these sandals - just a few simple tools and an easy FAQ. Aaaannnnd, if you want to go hardcore we show you that approach too. Well Why Not, - this is after all Recycled Frockery.
This is the original Ho Chi Minh sandal - made popular in Vietnam during the time of the Vietnam war. this is the sandal that was popularized as the “Old Ho”. it’s made the same way today in the factory in Vietnam.
This video is of an italian crafter/artist making her own version using a recycled bicycle tire. that makes it totally green.
Notice how she notches the heel and cross over slot’s. that will allow you to make them wearable with many different strap combinations. men will probably want a more neutral color, where women and kids may want to jazz it up a lil bit.
you can change out the straps and even go totally green and use the tire straps as she has done in her pair. that makes them even more durable and wearable in all weather conditions. they’re very durable since they’re made for concrete and they hold up exceptionally well when worn in all types of weather.
This Tutorial is from someone who makes these for longterm wear, and truly has mastered the art of turning a tire into a shoe - This is from Hollowtop
This tip on what type of tire to use is essential to success in making your first pair
Most importantly, always use tires that do not have steel cables running through them. All tires have some kind of fibrous reinforcement in them, typically nylon or rayon threads. Most of the newer tires also have a layer of steel cables, which is not workable at all. Still, there are a few billion of the older tires around without steel cables, so you should not have to look too far to find some. Just look on the sidewalls of the tire and it will be printed there how many plies of nylon, rayon, or steel are imbedded in the rubber.
Rain, sleet and even hot sand don’t make these babies flinch. you can even wash them out with the garden hose and let them sit in the garden if you want a walk in the garden pair that stays In The Garden.
This guy is making them from a yoga mat - this is the easiest method. you find lots of these at public markets in California they call them Hippie Sandals - Hemp Sandals or Tire Sandals.
Now isn’t that easy ? On EHow we found a whole section on making your own sandals - from lots of different types of materials. Most of the designs are green or recycled material included. this list gave us some really good ideas. why not make them for everyone in your family, to encourage a greening from the ground up. (wink*wink)
Being Responsible Bloggers also meant we had to search for an alternative to get rid of those flipflops you no longer use. Huffington Had these tips
Send them to UniquEco. Founded by a marine biologist, UniquEco accepts shipments of flip-flops from around the world and repurposes them into colorful, handmade pieces, including art, jewelry, and toys. This innovative organization is also socially responsible, providing much-needed jobs to local artisans.
The only problem? UniquEco is based in Kenya, which means that if you’re in the US, the energy expenditure of shipping your flip-flop collection halfway around the globe is likely to negate any recycling benefits. My suggestion: Organize a flip-flop drive, or just collect a whole bunch of unwanted pairs from your friends and family and send them over in one large shipment.
Discover DIY projects. This may be a stretch, but I’ve found that flip-flops cut into small rounds can work nicely as protective gripper pads for your furniture legs. Or take a knife, shred them into thin strips, and use the bits to stuff cushions. You could also create a craft project for your kids: Have them use the soles to make their own custom rubber stamps.
Show Us Your Ho Chi Minh’s Friends
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