Thaely Converts Plastic Thaelys and Bottles into Sustainable Footwear!

According to a University of Leeds report in September 2024, India has the largest amount of plastic pollution. With about 9.3 million tonnes—around one-fifth of the total amount—we are the major contributors. While there are many ways to reduce or reuse this plastic, most often than not, they get buried in the demand for fast fashion and cheap products. Thaely, a sustainable footwear brand, adopted a harder way to turn this plastic into shoes. The story started with a problem witnessed firsthand. 

Ashay Bhave, the founder of this brand, saw his mother contribute to a local waste management facility. There, he noticed one thing—the plastic waste was not managed properly. So, he went on to do something with it. Rather than taking the usual way, he decided to turn this waste into a wearable product—yes, a product that was made out of plastic. After research and brainstorming, he decided to start Thaely (Hindi for plastic bag), a vegan and recycled footwear brand.

Ashay, with his team, invented the ThaelyTex, the star of their footwear products. ThaelyTex is an innovative leather alternative created exclusively from discarded plastic bags. But that's not the only innovative and sustainable product Thaely uses. The fabric and laces of each pair are crafted entirely from 100% recycled materials, specifically utilising ten plastic bags and twelve plastic bottles, as mentioned on the brand's website. 

Let’s Break It Down - The Sustainable Materials They Use

The TahelyTex is their registered material that is used in the making of every shoe. The brand collaborates with Virendera Textiles and Airdrops to make this material. Sourced from Haryana and Delhi, the material does not use chemicals, nor does it release any toxic chemicals as a by-product. Each sneaker is made using 10 upcycled waste plastic bags collected from housing complexes, offices and stores in and around Delhi. The collected plastic bags are then segregated, sanitised and processed into ThaelyTex. 

rPET or Recycled Polyethene Terephthalate is another fabric used in making toe box, lining, laces and tote. Each sneaker sourced from Virendra Textile, Harper and Waste2Wear India is made from 12 recycled waste plastic bottles. Other materials like recycled rubber, reclaimed from scrap materials such as used shoe soles, tires and other industrial waste, are used for the sole and Insole. Their 'Reflex Runners Shoes' use Bloom EVA, which is an algae-blended resin containing a significant fraction of algae biomass and bio-based additives. It is an environmentally-conscious, high-performance replacement for traditional petroleum-based EVAs. 

The usage of these environmentally friendly materials and vegan glue and detergents, used in binding and sanitising, has earned the company a PETA certification, along with the ‘Best Sneaker Award from PETA in 2021. 

Social Impact 

All plastic used in making Thaely’s products is collected by waste management professionals who are either employed by or collaborating with the brand. The sneaker brand tries to compensate them with fair wages, in contrast to the amount they usually get in India. Moreover, the company goes beyond monetary compensation by providing financial and health-related education and ensuring employees receive nutritious meals and sufficient breaks, especially during harsh weather conditions. Thaely has implemented a five-day work week, resembling corporate settings, in contrast to the common seven-day arrangements enforced in many waste management facilities, as mentioned by the brand’s website. 

In times when India is ranking high in plastic waste generation, brands like Tahely are true saviours of the environment, creating impact with one shoe at a time.