In order to provide students with special sneakers that are ethically built of recycled materials as part of the school uniform, the forward-thinking school, located in Al Jadaf, has now partnered with Thaely shoes.
Ruth Burke, School Principal and CEO, says, “It’s fantastic to find a cool, local brand – created by a young student – which is sustainable and which our pupils really like. At SISD, we encourage our pupils to think out of the box, and to go the extra mile – Thaely shows what’s possible when you really put your mind to something. We want our pupils to feel comfortable, and to look smart, but also, hope that every time they look at their feet, they are reminded of our collective, global responsibility to act sustainably, and the power of pursuing your dreams.”
The ‘Y2K Pro’ shoes were created by Dubai student and company founder Ashay Bhave and are modelled after vintage basketball sneakers from the early 2000s. He desired to create a sneaker that was produced responsibly and exclusively had parts made from garbage. The exercise’s goal was to discover a solution to the issue of the 100 billion plastic carrier bags used annually, which consume 12 million barrels of oil and result in the death of 100,000 marine species.
His sustainable sneakers received funding when he developed a viable prototype and went on to win Amity University’s Eureka start-up pitch competition in 2019.
A commercial version of the unique sneaker was created by him using recycled plastic bottles, carrier bags, and rubber.
Company founder Ashay Bhave says, “The Thaely Y2K Pro is a revolution in the footwear industry, and Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai is the first school in the world to offer Thaely sneakers as a part of their uniform! Each sneaker uses recycled components made from 10 waste plastic bags, 12 waste plastic bottles and industrial rubber waste. All components, including the glue, are PETA-certified vegan.”
Each pair is further packaged in a recyclable shopping bag made from four used plastic bottles and a plantable box produced from recycled paper that is coloured with used coffee grounds and contains basil seeds. Additionally, since their release, the shoes have assisted in keeping more than 40,000 trash bags and 48,000 plastic bottles out of the landfill.
Ruth Burke continues, “We set the bar with regional, bilingual IB education, and now we are setting the bar with this exciting sustainable addition to our school uniform. These special sneakers are now available with a special exclusive discount code for pupils and parents, and we look forward to seeing some of our 1800 pupils all looking great in their new Thaelys.”