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US soy-based sandals donated to health care workers

US soybeans are providing comfort to frontline workers during the coronavirus pandemic. Okabashi, an American company that uses US soy in all its sandals, has committed to donate up to 10,000 sandals to health care workers for every order placed through their website or Zappos.

Belinda Burrier serves on the United Soybean Board’s executive committee as oil target area coordinator.   

“Soybean producers made about 11 million metric tons of soybean oil in the marketplace last year and we needed customers,” she says. “So in turn, we found an industrial use to be able to use this oil and also to build a customer support in producing these sandals.”

Okabashi President Kim Falkenhayn says they’ve donated more than 5,000 pairs so far and are sending them all over the country.

Burrier says the partnership benefits farmers and Okabashi.

“Soybean oil can displace the petroleum that is used, making Okabashi sandals have higher standards for performance in both strength and softness,” she says. “It qualifies them to be recognized for a USDA certified biobased product, which helps them meet their sustainability goals and it helps the farmer because it’s a renewable source we can keep supplying.”  

She says the donation highlights USB investments in industrial uses of soy.

“We have so many new technologies that have hit the market and are available- we have motor oil, we have tires from Goodyear, and we have Sketchers using soy-based rubber technology,” she says.

USB regularly collaborates with companies on research to learn how to incorporate soy into new technology. There are more than 1,000 different soy-based products available including turf grass and asphalt.

Burrier grows corn, wheat, soybeans, and hay in central Maryland.

Audio: Belinda Burrier