00:03This comfy footwear is taking sustainable fashion to a whole nother level.
00:08University of California San Diego researchers developed algae-based flip-flops that are
00:13consumer-ready.
00:14Working with startup company ElGenesis Materials, they created foams made from algae oil to
00:20use for the flip-flops midsole and footbed.
00:22Researchers say this commercial quality foam contains 52% of materials that biodegrade
00:28in the natural environment, and in the future it'll hit 100% biocontent.
00:33To see if their biodegradable foams would actually disappear naturally over time, researchers
00:37placed the flip-flops in a compost.
00:39They found the shoes degraded after 16 weeks.
00:42The team is excited about creating a commercial product that can be fully recycled, saying
00:47a material's lifespan should be relative to the products, and we don't need material
00:51that sits around for 500 years on a product that you will only use for a year or two.
00:56The flip-flops are on track for commercial production, but they're still working out the details
01:00with manufacturing partners.
01:02Researchers plan to use their findings to help combat plastic pollution, which they say
01:06will hit 13 billion metric tons worldwide by 2050 if no changes are made.
01:11The study was published in the journal Bioresource Technology Reports.
01:13The study was published in the journal Bioresource Technology Reports.
01:14The study was published in the journal Bioresource Makers OMF움
01:18Global Audience.
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