Crocs taking a bite out of world poverty
Story By: Bea Karnes
Source: AP
Old Crocs are getting a second life, and giving many needy people around the world their first pair of shoes. The maker of the plastic shoes launched its initiative, SolesUnited, to the public - asking for donations of worn-out shoes to be recycled and turned into new ones.
The Colorado-based Crocs started donating shoes a little over a year ago when its materials scientists figured out a way to recycle the plastic. SolesUnited marks the opening of the program to the public, with many retailers across the U.S. accepting old shoes.
SolesUnited shoes have slight design tweaks to differentiate them from the traditional Crocs. Shoes recently sent to Malawi, for example, were missing the back strap found on the original clog-style shoe.
This new Crocs initiative was featured on the Week Five (#705) episode of NBC's The Celebrity Apprentice, which airs Thursday nights at 8pm on 5/30.
Both teams were assigned the task of designing recycling receptacles for the SolesUnited program.
Click here for a photo recap of that episode. In photo 7, Carol Alt poses with orange Crocs. In photo 10, the women present their giant Croc receptacle (really - it's a giant Croc) to company executives.
