When Gumbies founder Michel Maurer discovered the Aboriginal rite of passage -“Walkabout” – at the age of sixteen when he and his family received their emigration visa for Australia, these were very exciting times, Australia then was a mystical land and still relatively undiscovered. He didn’t realise how much this would influence his own highly original take on life, and his future career.
Freedom and adventure were in his DNA, never wanting to be constrained by four walls and always staring out of the window, dreaming up his next quest or things to make out of discarded bits and pieces in his Dad’s garage. Many escape attempts were made to avoid conformance, and anything that got in the way of what he considered “real living" but Michel was far from idle, and he eventually embarked upon what was to be a long and often hard journey of committed entrepreneurialism and self-employment.
Leaving home with a few saved coins, a backpack and a head full of dreams, Michel found work on his travels, fuelling his passion for creativity. Whilst working at an outdoor exhibition in Salt Lake City USA, he read an article in a trade magazine profiling the famous boot maker John Lobb, his struggle and success through innovation, hard work and determination. Something struck a chord, and the idea for creating a brand and products that would encompass the way of life he enjoyed so much.
Now was the time for Michel to channel his creativity. The brand would reflect his passion for simplicity, necessity, and most importantly- freedom. Utilising natural materials based on a strong ethical foundation, but with a visible point of difference, the quest for the perfect flip-flop had begun.
The ‘Islander’ flip flop, also known as the 1000-miler was conceived.
Prototypes were made using old tyres, but realising that car tyres were too crude and not commercially viable, he set about exploring the use of recycled rubber instead. Bonding it with jute for strength and sandwiching an EVA midsole for comfort, topping it with canvas for a more natural touch to the skin. Finishing off with vibrant, but contemporary colours, each one tells a story – a blank canvas to express his beliefs and unique view of the world.
SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability Pledge
We are not there yet, but we are doing our best to offset our impact on the environment. We are continually trying to reduce our footprint so we can enjoy journeys near and far for years to come.
Verdn Partnership
In March 2021 we partnered with Verdn, pledging to plant a tree or collect plastic from the ocean for every order received.
EOCA Membership
As a proud member of the European Outdoor Conservation Association we give our support towards their conservation projects. They are committed to giving something back to the environment and so is Gumbies. We are working together to make a difference.
Recycled Materials
We take our commitment to sustainability seriously. Where we can, we use as much recycled material as possible. We choose the right material to create the best possible product, which is lasting, fit for purpose and has the least environmental impact.
Our Packaging
We are always looking at finding ways to reduce the impact of single use plastic. In our eyes, single use is no use!
All Gumbies products come in resealable/reusable bags which are also 100% recyclable.
We choose to use bags over boxes which reduces shipping volumes by 50%, meaning less impact on the environment.
Every order received is posted in a courier pack made from 100% recycled post consumer waste.
Supply Chain
We are committed to operate under Fairtrade regulations and ensure all our factories are BSCI compliant. Each of our factories are continuously audited by the Amfori network.
Waste Management
We recycle 95% of all our waste. Not bad, but not quite good enough! Therefore, each day we aim to improve and are always looking to get closer to 100%.
