In Lamu, Kenya, a team built a sailing dhow from 10 tonnes of recycled flip-flops — and helped ban plastic bags nationwide.
The Wave that Started It All
On the shores of Lamu — a UNESCO World Heritage site on Kenya's coast — a quiet revolution is happening, one flip-flop at a time.
The Flipflopi Project was born from a simple question: what if plastic waste, instead of choking marine life, could be transformed into something beautiful? Co-founded by Ben Morrison and master dhow craftsman Ali Skanda, the project now processes 10 to 12 tonnes of plastic every month, turning discarded flip-flops, bottles, and packaging into recycled boards, furniture, and fully functional boats.
>> "kila kitu inawezekana — Everything is possible."
Their flagship creation is Flipflopi Ndogo — a 10-tonne traditional Swahili sailing dhow built from 40% recycled flip-flops. After two and a half years of construction, it sailed along the East African coast, stopping at port cities to deliver one message: kila kitu inawezekana.
The boat became a floating classroom. Communities learned about plastic sorting, circular economy models, and the direct link between coastal waste and the suffering of sea turtles, dolphins, and coral reefs. Flipflopi's vocational training programme has since reached 84 students across the region.
Where Plastic Pollution Ends, Conservation Begins
Their influence has reached policy too. Kenya's 2017 nationwide ban on single-use plastic bags — one of the strictest in the world — is partly credited to the project's advocacy. In 2020, further restrictions came into force in protected areas.
Now, the team is planning a 24-metre vessel built from 70 tonnes of plastic. The work continues — and the turtles of Lamu are watching.