Nic&Mic at The Sustainable Superstore: The art of Upcycling
At Nic&Mic, everything revolves around transformation and making an impact. What was once waste is given a new life as a unique handmade product. From colorful artworks to functional utensils and beautiful (wall)hangings. Each item tells a story of sustainability, social responsibility and creativity. This family business, founded by brothers Nicholas and Michael, shows that upcycling is not only good for the environment, but also for the people involved.
Inspiration and Founding: How Nic&Mic Began
The origins of Nic&Mic lie in Kenya, where Michael came into contact with Ocean Sole during an internship. This organization collects washed-up flip-flops and makes colorful art - mainly animal sculptures - from them. Fascinated by Ocean Sole's mission, the brothers decided to bring these unique products to the Netherlands. Thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign, Nic&Mic was born in 2014.
Mission: Working Together for a Better World
Nic&Mic has a clear mission: to convert as much waste as possible into beautiful products, while at the same time creating solid employment with their partners in Africa. They believe in the power of creativity to reduce waste flows, to make people aware of the impact of their consumption behavior and to offer opportunities to craftsmen in Kenya and Tanzania.
Products with a Story
Every Nic&Mic product has its own unique journey from waste to new product. We would like to introduce their impact partners:
Ocean Sole: Art made from washed-up flip-flops
Ocean Sole collects nearly a million flip-flops that wash up on Kenyan shores each year. These flip-flops are cleaned, glued together and transformed into beautiful animal sculptures by local craftsmen. From tiny turtles to life-size giraffes, each piece is unique and handmade. Through this partnership, Nic&Mic not only helps clean up beaches, but also provides employment to dozens of Kenyan artists - many of whom are former woodworkers. So it saves a lot of trees too!
Chako Zanzibar: Glass gets a second life
On the beautiful island of Zanzibar, where many tourists come every year and waste management is a major problem, Nic&Mic works together with Chako. This organization collects empty wine bottles from hotels. Chako's mission is to collect all empty bottles before they end up in nature. In their workshop, the empty bottles are transformed into stylish home accessories such as glasses, vases and lamps. The jars are also ideal for storing TrendingTea's loose tea or for your overnight oats. The combination of recycled glass and local wood carvings creates a unique look. Chako is also a member of the World Fairtrade Organization! Each item contributes to a cleaner island and provides employment for women and young people, a group that would otherwise have difficulty finding paid employment.
Africa Collect Textiles (ACT): giving old clothes a new life!
The textile industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. Many of the Western cast-offs end up in Africa, where they disrupt the local clothing industry and the environment. ACT is an organization that is committed to combating this mountain of waste with clothing. At ACT, jeans are processed into sustainable and stylish clothes. Old uniforms are upcycled into cool backpacks! The reuse of these materials prevents waste and at the same time provides work for local communities. At the time of writing, ACT has already transformed 197,981 kg of textiles into new products.
Although all Nic&Mic products have a beautiful story, one in particular deserves attention. The ACT African Queen (wall) tapestry is more than just an interior piece; it tells a story. This special tapestry is an ode to the women in Africa who work in the second-hand clothing industry. The design, created by Nigerian artist Eno Andrew Essien, shows a powerful African woman. She is depicted as larger than the tapestry itself, symbolizing her ambitions and determination to rise above the boundaries in which she grew up. With each tapestry, approximately 40 unwearable jeans are given a new life, making it not only a work of art, but also a sustainable product. Each copy is unique and provided with a serial number, the story behind ACT and the signature of the weaver who made the tapestry. By choosing this tapestry, you contribute to the empowerment of women and support the circular economy. The tapestry is suitable as both a rug and a wall tapestry, which means it can take a special place in any interior.
At The Sustainable Superstore we believe that together we are stronger. By working with impact entrepreneurs like Nic&Mic, we make sustainable shopping easy and accessible. Every product you buy through our partner Nic&Mic ensures a cleaner earth and solid employment for the makers! An extra nice detail is that during my studies I did an internship at Nic&Mic and helped them set up the partnerships with Chako and ACT.
