Michigan Man Creates Shoes From Recycled Billboards

Maybe it's a sign of the times, but a man in Michigan is hoping to kick-start his career as an entrepreneur with a line of shoes made from recycled billboards.

Jimmy Tomczak is the creator of Paper Feet, a line of sandals -- or "foot condoms," as he calls them -- that he makes by cutting up old billboards for companies like McDonald's and attaching some Velcro to hold them together.

As with most inventions, necessity was the mother of it.

Tombolo LLC

Jimmy Tomczak is attempting to become a shoe mogul by selling Paper Feet, a line of sandals made from recycled billboards.

"I like being outdoors, especially near the water," Tomczak told AOL News. "I prefer being barefoot but wanted something I could wear while walking across hot asphalt.

"There are those who say going barefoot full time is best, but in order to do that, I needed something transitional."

At first, Tomczak tried to make "minimalist" sandals using Tyvek, the crinkly material most commonly seen on FedEx envelopes.

"It's puncture-proof and waterproof, but it was so thin that it didn't work," Tomczak, a former neuroscience student, lamented.

However, a leaky roof on his mobile home helped provide Tomczak with a better solution.

"The home has a flat roof and it was leaking," Tomczak said. "Someone suggested I use an old billboard as a tarp, and it was perfect."

The billboard in question was an old McDonald's ad for sweet tea and was five times thicker than the average shower curtain.

"It was waterproof, tear-resistant and would make a great Slip 'N Slide," Tomczak said.

Even better, it could be folded without losing its shape.

sandals made by Jimmy Tomczak out of recycled billboards

Tombolo LLC

The sandals are made from billboards that Tomczak says are five times thicker than shower curtains and tear-resistant. That's why he jokingly calls them "foot condoms."

After protecting Tomczak's mobile home from the elements, the original billboard was somewhat tattered. Still, he was able to create prototypes for his Paper Feet line of shoes (which, he admits, aren't really made from paper).

He figures he can make 100 pairs of shoes from each billboard, each a unique work of art unto itself.

That's why the current price point is $30 per pair, but considering he can buy the billboards for about $20 apiece, some have wondered if that's high.

"I know what you're saying, but Velcro is expensive -- $2 per yard for the side with the hooks and $1 a yard for the side with the mesh," he said. "Plus, we see these as being popular at resorts, and the people who wear that stuff say they don't pay under $30 for shoes."

He says the price could go down as orders increase, but right now, his concern is getting the shoes into retail outlets before summer clothes are put on the shelves.