October 2025 | Issue No. 55

A Conversation Between Monica Lenches, Realtor, and Stuart Jenkins, Founder/ECO Blumaka/Fleks

 

I met Amy Krahenbuhl, Sustainability Project Manager for Blumaka, at Earth Day last year and was immediately struck by her passion for tackling foam waste in the footwear industry and her kind, respectful presence. She later joined a couple of our Legacy Hours, and as I got to know her, it became clear Blumaka was a natural fit for A Kinder World of Commerce.

 

In my interview with Stuart Jenkins, founder and CEO of Blumaka and Flecks, I was struck by the mutual respect he showed a young employee who joined our conversation. On several occasions, Stuart asked for his perspective - clearly valuing his input and empowering him in real time. As I learned more about the global crisis Blumaka is addressing, I became increasingly drawn to the innovation and integrity Stuart brings to his work. That commitment was underscored by his invitation for me to walk away from the story if, after trying their inserts and slip-ons, I wasn’t genuinely impressed. I’m pleased to report that my hiking boots felt significantly more comfortable and supportive with Blumaka’s sole inserts — and the Fleks slip-ons felt just as good underfoot!

 

 

ML: What is the problem Blumaka is trying to solve and why should it matter to us?

 

SJ: Plastic waste and specifically foam waste: the single biggest environmental catastrophe in the footwear industry. Every year, the industry produces more than 322,000 metric tons of waste foam—enough for Blumaka to make 5 billion insoles or 2.5 billion midsoles. Instead, most end up in landfills or burn piles.

 

Foam waste cannot be recycled with traditional methods because it is like a scrambled egg, a two-part plastic that cannot be reused. Blumaka’s patented process changes that. By intercepting and re-engineering this waste into new high-performance materials, we are solving one of the industry’s most pressing problems. If adopted at scale, petroleum-based foam use in footwear could be cut by 10 percent annually. That's huge.

 

This problem matters because every one of us participates in this industry as buyers. By choosing brands that tackle the problem head-on, we can shift the market toward solutions instead of waste.

 

 

ML: What are your organization’s mission and values?

 

SJ: Our mission is to revolutionize the insole industry by providing the highest performance solutions fused with sustainable processes. Our values are simple but uncompromising:

ML: Could you share 2–3 examples of how you put those values into practice in your day-to-day work?

 

SJ: At Blumaka we live our values and build them into our products. Values cannot sit on a poster—they must be the operation. Innovation drives everything: our product, our process, and our approach to packaging and shipping. Sustainability is not a goal, it is the business.

 

That is why we built a factory from the ground up, designing and owning all the equipment, making sure every detail reflects our commitment to athletes and the planet. By operating this factory ourselves, we control every element—from worker safety to labor standards and environmental responsibility.

 

That commitment shows up in our products. We use as much recycled content as possible, not only to clean up waste, but to create performance gear that lasts 4 to 20 times longer than many competitors. Integrity demands that we make products built to last. The most sustainable product is the one that lasts longest. Think about it: what is more sustainable, a silver fork that lasts 400 years, or a bamboo fork that lasts 5 years?

 

For shipping, we choose the U.S. Postal Service because USPS delivers with about 75 percent less carbon than FedEx or UPS. If a customer needs overnight delivery, we can do that, but it is not our standard. It is a conscious choice to do business in a way that has less impact on the planet while serving the customer.

 

At Blumaka, our values are the business. Every product, every process, every decision embodies them.

 

 

ML: How are the new tariffs affecting your business, and what can the government do to make this more palatable without increasing taxes?

 

SJ: Tariffs have disrupted our business, creating uncertainty for us and our customers. Many have serious implications, forcing U.S. job cuts while we face unpredictable costs that can rise 30–70% overnight. One shipment costing $15,000 was suddenly hit with $27,000 in tariffs—costs we had to absorb. In six months, tariffs consumed 10% of our revenue, making planning nearly impossible.

 

We respect the government’s right to use tariffs, but sudden, heavy taxes on U.S.-owned businesses are counterproductive. This is essentially a tax on Blumaka, whose recycling process prevents foam waste from being burned overseas. Our overseas factory did not eliminate U.S. jobs; it created eight and even employs an American abroad.

 

With a U.S. patent and no foreign partners, we aim to make our process the global standard. Yet tariffs treat us like foreign competitors, undermining U.S. technology. A better approach would recognize fully U.S.-owned companies that create jobs at home, rather than penalizing them equally with imports.

 

 

 

SJ: The best way to support our mission is simple: buy our products, or products made with our recycled performance foam. Every purchase helps us clean up waste and prove that sustainable, high-performance gear is possible.

 

You can find our technology in several brands. Rabbit running makes two shoes with Blumaka insoles. Allbirds Remix offers two models with Blumaka midsoles. For pickleball shoes, check out DAPS. And every pair of our FLEKS sandals cleans up the waste foam from one pair of shoes—we call that One From One.

 

Your wallet is the ultimate voter. Every time you support brands making a difference, you push the industry toward real change. Consumers will never solve this problem if they only support the footwear brands creating it. To get different results, we must make different decisions.

 

We make long-lasting products in a way that is far less harmful to the planet. If you want to enjoy the feel of high-performance gear while doing your part to clean up the planet: vote Blumaka, vote FLEKS.