Fracking Design Turns Oil Waste into Chic Footwear
Remember that time when a bunch of sisters discovered a way to keep the planet happy while looking fabulous? That’s exactly what the Argentine trio did, turning the plastic Big Bags that oil rigs in Vaca Muerta fling around into luxurious shoes, bags, and purses. Talk about turning trash into treasure!
Meet the Sisters Behind the Green Revolution
Founded by three sisters, Fracking Design gets its name from the flammable thrill of fracking—yes, the same process that won’t mind the eco‑beats but now brings a splash of eco‑style to the market. Lead designer Ornella Basilotta (40) especially loves the idea that each new pair of shoes can offset the carbon those sacks would have released if burned.
From Oil Wells to Wearables
Oil operators in Vaca Muerta, a massive shale play the size of Belgium, use thousands of these giant plastic sacks to haul sand. Typically they’re just set on fire, releasing a chunk of CO₂ into the air. Fracking Design salvages them, cleans them up, and mixes them with recycled leather. The result? It’s like a supermarket aisle of runway‑ready goods without the waste.
- Frackilette sandals—the foot of the matter
- Reusable bags printed with green statements
- Purses that carry your wallet and your conscience
When Sustainability Meets Style
A single oil well consumes between 30,000 and 40,000 tons of sand—roughly 26,500 of those badass sacks. That’s a lot of plastic that could have been burned. Fracking Design’s repurposing equates to the carbon‑offset needs of about 1,100 trees. In numbers, it’s a single sandwich of style that saves a forest.
The Bigger Picture
All in all, 40 families have joined the production chain, and the brand now sells its goods inside Buenos Aires’ iconic MALBA museum and online. Some local oil companies even hand‑out the shoes as eco‑friendly corporate gifts. It’s a win‑win: customers get trendy gear while the industry gets to save a few trees and a few dollars.
Looking Ahead
“We’re using a mere 10% of what an oil well generates. The goal? Keep scaling and turn more waste into wow!” Basilotta says. With a plan to branch into other industries, Fracking Design is only getting started. If this provess ever had a slogan, it would probably read: “Waste isn’t waste when it’s fashion.”
