press@olliworld.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 25, 2016
COLUMBUS, Ohio, November 25, 2016 – Columbus, Ohio company Olli (http://www.olliworld.com) launches a line of flip flops which combine certified Fair Trade natural rubber, style and sustainability. The highly anticipated announcement was made by Olli founders and sisters Heather Shuster and Holly Shuster Van Tilburg.
“We wanted to create a flip flop using natural materials in the most responsible way”, says Heather Shuster, co-founder of Olli. “Rubber actually comes from a tree, and not a petroleum byproduct. It’s a sustainable, biodegradable, and renewable resource.” The extraction process of rubber does not hurt the tree, and it is not unlike making maple syrup.
Olli was created by two Ohio sisters after failing to find an eco-friendly flip flop on a beach trip. They looked to natural rubber, but were shocked to find the rubber tappers living in extreme poverty. Because the price of natural rubber competes directly with synthetic rubber, which is produced from petroleum byproducts, the price is collapsing. As a result, most plantations are operating at a loss, further driving entire families further into debt and extreme poverty.
“Our materials are ethically sourced. We know exactly where our rubber comes from because we personally visit our plantations in Sri Lanka. We wanted to create a brand with a transparent supply chain that made a direct impact on local economies. We can tell you exactly what’s in it and who made it—we wanted to directly pass that along to our customers.”
Olli is a member of the Fair Rubber Association (http://www.fairrubber.org) which independently screens and audits rubber plantations to meet its working conditions. The premium that Olli pays goes directly to the rubber tappers; it has also been applied to clean drinking water, electricity, and financial support for medical expenses.
Olli will be available online, in China, and select stores throughout America.
Visit the new summer collection here: www.olliworld.com
###