Recycled Billboards Become Footwear

(CANVAS STAFF REPORTS) - A desire to go barefoot and an unwillingness to pay a hefty price tag for the nearest alternative led a Michigan man to create Paper Feet.

Paper Feet is a line of sandals created by Jimmy Tomczak. The sandals are made from recycled billboard vinyl, a fiber-reinforced PVC plastic material that he said gets stored in a warehouse or thrown away when an ad is torn down.

He created the company TOMBOLO LLC to create and sell his "functional gear that encourages people to get outside and live."

Tomczak told AOL News that he would rather go barefoot but wanted something he could wear while crossing hot asphalt.

He first used Tyvek, a material commonly seen on FedEx envelopes, but said it was to thin.

He had the idea of recycled billboard while placing an old McDonald's ad on his roof to fix a leak.

The blog Good said Tomczak plans to sell Paper Feet this summer, pricing pairs of sandals between $5 to $15 each. AOL News put the likely price closer to $30, partly because of what he said is the high price of Velcro.

That would still beat Vibram's "Five Fingers," a pair of five-finger running shoes that come with a price tag of around $100.

He expects his clientele will include college dorm residents, beachgoers, gym users and possibly surfers.