Sailing onwards to ending plastic pollution in East Africa

Dear Plastic Revolutionary,

October was an incredibly busy month at Flipflopi HQ as we prepared for both a royal visit and the upcoming INC negotiations with a series of advocacy workshops with parliamentarians from across the East African Community

A chair fit for the King

When we found out that Flipflopi had been chosen to meet King Charles on his tour of Kenya, we knew that we had to do it in true Swahili and Flipflopi style: by creating a first of its kind, 100% recycled plastic chair, fit for a King. Under the guidance of Ali and Katharina, the ‘Kiti Cha Enzi’ (‘The grandee's chair’) was born, made entirely from ocean-bound plastic pollution and handcrafted lovingly by local carpenters, carvers and weavers, using century-old techniques in our Lamu facility.

As a passionate environmentalist, King Charles was delighted with the chair and its circular origins: it was so iconic that it has become an instant photo-story hit in the media with coverage so far seen in Sky News, UK’s Daily Mail, Canada’s CTV and Kenya’s Daily Nation to name but a few, helping to spread our message of ocean and heritage preservation to millions around the world. Even the Royal Palace found the time to share it on their instagram!

You can read more about the chair and King Charles visit our blog.

Scaling up our product development for artisanal boats and furniture

This chair is just one of over 40 product lines that we have developed over the past year thanks to The FCDO’s SMEP programme and our talented team in Lamu. All of these products have been tested and we are now confident to operationalise as a social enterprise. As a not-for-profit, our ambition is to develop self-sustaining enterprises that can support the transition to a zero plastic waste circular economy, and create more dignified jobs for Lamuians whilst continuing to preserve the heritage and protect our environment. If you are interested in learning more or partnering with us on this unique journey, check out this page and please drop us an email.?

With all the enquiries we are already receiving, we have opened up a waiting list for the first half of 2024. Visit our form to share your initial ideas and we will be in touch to develop your design further. Pre-orders are limited so please do fill out our online form as soon as you can.?

Overcoming challenges in hard-to-recycle plastics: The “Magunia” (large sacks) story

Most of the available product lines above are manufactured from HDPE, LDPE and PP - but there are still many other plastics that are almost impossible to effectively recycle on site. We are trying our best to find ways to give these a second life - particularly when we see the vast quantities of some of the items being collected. The ‘magunias’ (plastic woven sacks) have become our nemesis at Flipflopi HQ - thousands of kilos piling up, but we are determined to find some solutions and if not, with thanks to Kenya’s new Sustainable Waste Management Act and the enforcement of the Extended Producer Responsibility Program, as stated by the DG of NEMA, “In the unlikely event that the product continues to cause pollution, this will trigger the need for NEMA and the producers to engage in a discussion with an intention to ban that product or packaging.”?

We’ve partnered with Delft University of Technology to see what we can do about these sacks, learn more on a recent blog.

In the lead up to INC-3, The SMEP Programme led by, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) together with ALN , 麦肯锡 , Delterra and Flipflopi hosted a pre-event focusing on Trade and development aspects of plastic pollution mitigation measures, non-plastic substitutes and plastic alternatives

Case studies from regional and global approaches were presented including Flipflopi’s full systems approach to tackling plastic pollution as well panel discussions on financing waste management and the importance of ensuring maximum socio-economic and environmental impact.?

As INC-3 on Ending Plastic Pollution commences in Nairobi today, we are hopeful that the world will take up this once-in-a-generation opportunity to curb the crisis. The President of Kenya, William Ruto opened the negotiations affirming Kenya’s commitment to eliminate plastic pollution and reasserting that the instrument must also “eliminate, the most harmful and high-risk plastic categories.” As a region we have an opportunity to leap frog by adopting a regional approach to banning unnecessary single use plastics as one step forward to ending plastic pollution once and for all.

Pushing ahead for our call for a regional ban on unnecessary single use plastics (SUP): Our leading Advocacy partners, ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna have been making incredible strides towards widening public participation of key stakeholders and legislators throughout the East African Community towards tabling the Draft Bill on SUPs. This month, ALN hosted a virtual workshop with members of parliament from across the EAC for further feedback on the proposed Draft Bill in order to incorporate final comments.

At the same time, Managing Partner of ALN , Rosa Nduati-Mutero and Flipflopi’s Advisory Board Member, Carlotta Dal Lago met with the East African Legislative Assembly’s members of the Committee of Agriculture, Tourism, and Natural Resources for a successful presentation of the SUP Draft Bill.

Flipflopi joins the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty convened by EMF and WWF

With the INC negotiations around the corner (13th November), Flipflopi is proud to have joined the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty ( Business For A Plastics Treaty ), convened by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and WWF , together with +160 businesses and NGOs in calling on governments and negotiators to develop an ambitious and effective global treaty to end plastic pollution. The global treaty is the single most important opportunity to accelerate progress towards a circular economy in which plastic never becomes waste or pollution, and the value of products and materials is retained in the economy. We have NO TIME TO WASTE.

If you want to find out more about how this ambitious coalition is accelerating progress towards a circular economy, click here.?

Onwards with the plastic revolution!

Best wishes,

The Flipflopi Team