Video: How HAVAIANAS flip flops are made.

I’ve worn—okay, lived in—HAVAIANAS for years. They’re simple, classic, minimal. Red, black, chocolate, white, I’ve bought a rainbow’s worth. But since I’m trying to be eco- and socially-responsible (it’s a karma thing) and since I go through one or two pairs per season, I’ve felt a little odd about not knowing how they were made.

I knew, of course, that HAVAIANAS are made in Brazil (it’s part of their logo). But I’d heard they were made in prison. The video below seems to say, no, they’re made in a nice factory where everyone’s happy. And I still think they involve toxic glue, but I don’t know. And I’m sure their dyes and inks are toxic, too.

In any case I’m glad to learn that they recycle their surplus rubber—and rubber itself is of course sustainable, and biodegradable. So, until I hear more, I’ll keep buying and living in and loving my two pairs per season.

Some info:

Havaianas
The Zori, sandals in Japan, were the source of inspiration of Havaianas sandals on June 14, 1962.

Havaianas were made of rubber. A natural product, 100% made in Brazil are today found worldwide, and exported to the four corners of the planet.

The Havaianas factory in Campina Grande (PB) produces five pairs of Havaianas sandals per second—105 million pairs in a year. Since its launch, 2.2 billion pairs of Havaianas sandals have been manufactured and sold. At size 37, that comes to nearly 50 circles around the Earth.

Two out of three Brazilians go through a pair of Havaianas each year.

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