Mojo Sandals Soles Use Bukidnon Rubber

We never considered importing our main materials from overseas. We make it our mission to contribute to our nation’s economy and sustainable manufacturing — one sandal at a time.

Mojo Sandals manufacturers Joey Cuerdo and Thea Yusay-Cuerdo visit the source of Mojo Sandals rubber soles. With Mr Martijn Van Baggem, Mojo Sandals Distributor in Europe and Morocco, they check out rubber tree plantations in Bukidnon, Philippines. Thank you, Mr Jeremias Silao, Rubber Project Unit Chief of Central Mindanao University, for showing us around.

(please click on the images for a larger view)

The rubber plantations are located in the mountains of Bukidnon around Musuan, Maramag, and Quezon where the environment remains pristine and the air crisp and cool.

Mr Jeremias Silao shows how sap is harvested from the rubber tree using a process called rubber tapping. An incision is made in the tree’s bark, which cuts through the latex vessels. Sap then drips into a collecting vessel.

in Europe and Morocco, checks out the quality of the rubber sap leaking from the spiral tap

Rubber tapping takes care and skill to maximize sap collection and to consider the health and welfare of the tree. When done the proper way, a tapping panel will yield rubber sap for several years.

Joey is reminded of his childhood rolling bouncing balls made of latex!

the raw material used for the soles of Mojo Sandals. The process of making these latex sheets involve rolling the rubber through a textured roller