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"Vancouver startup FlyingFlips wants to build a community of socially conscious graphic designers. \nThe ecommerce platform lets shoppers vote for their favorite sandal designs, which they'd like to see become available for retail. The most-popular options will be manufactured and the artists will receive a portion of the sale proceeds. \n\"We're trying to build a really good social network of graphic designers,\" FlyingFlips designer co-founder Trevor Broad told Mashable. \"We call it open source flip flops.\"\nThe site, which is hoping to receive funding from Kickstarter, says its flip flops are eco-friendly, made from 20% to 30% recycled materials, and lets you trade in used pairs.\n\nSEE ALSO: Roozt Is the Etsy for Social Entrepreneurs\nOnce designers have submitted designs to the FlyingFlips community, the startup encourages them to share their submissions with their social networks to vote.\nFor each purchase made, FlyingFlips donates one pair of flip flops to a person in need in the developing world, through Soles4Souls and Fundacion A. Jean Brugger.  \nThe Kickstarter campaign, which runs until the end of May, will fund the first run of flip flops and the creation of the online store. The store will launch one week into June, right after the Kickstarter ends.\n\n\n\n\nFlyingFlips hopes to make eight pairs available by June \u2014 the two pairs advertised as Kickstarter rewards, five pairs crowd sourced by designers and one blank pair. Though the team was initially split on creating blank flip flops, lacking a crowdsourced design, they ultimately decided more people could join the buy one give one movement, if they offered a blank slate option.\nWould you buy a pair of FlyingFlips? Let us know if you would back this project.\nBonus: Crazy Kickstarter Projects\n\n\nThe 10 Craziest Kickstarter Projects of 2011\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n1. Portals\n\n\nFunded: $1,934\nThis project uses a box and an old monitor to simulate virtual reality. It is an incredibly cool project, but its Kickstarter backers shouldn't expect anything in return other than a \"big happy thank you.\"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. Decentralized Dance Party\n\n\nGoal: $1,000\nTwo lifelong Canadian friends have found a way to resurrect vintage boomboxes from the '80s. The Decentralized Dance Party is a portable, battery-operated \"party system\" consisting of thousands of people carrying stereos.  A DJ carries an FM transmitter in a backpack, and tunes the boomboxes to his master FM broadcast, resulting in a mobile, synchronized sound.\nThe pair is attempting to bring the dance party to Seattle, and to many others cities in the future.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3. Donut Tower\n\n\nGoal: $8,500\nIn place of a traditional wedding cake, this couple opted for a five-foot towering donut pedestal.\nNow, with your support, the two are hoping to create a reusable donut tower in multiple sizes and configurations. They plan to market the prototype to donut shops, caterers and anyone else interested in the dessert presentation.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n4. Crap Away\n\n\nGoal: $18,700\nThis quirky Kickstarter hopes to introduce \"the silliest brand of toilet paper you could ever imagine\" to the shelves of major retailers. The founder of this project has been making novelty toilet paper since 1998, but he's excited to launch \"the only brand of toilet paper with a sense of humor.\"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n5. The World's Largest Marble Run\n\n\nFunded: $8,306\nThis successfully funded project involves a half-kilometer-long marble chute that's been intricately laser cut out of 3mm, high-density fiberwood. It slightly beats the current record of 210.31 meters. View the world's longest marble chute here.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n6. The Imaginary Marching Band\n\n\nFunded:\n$10,665\nLeave behind all the heavy instruments. The Imaginary Marching Band gloves allow the wearer to pantomime music using various open-source instruments. The project successfully met its funding goal.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n7. Grilled Cheesus\n\n\nFunded: $25,604\nYou've heard about people who've seen the Virgin Mary in their coffee cups, or Abe Lincoln on their dinner plates. Now you too can experience a sandwich vision. A young couple successfully funded and created an electronic sandwich press that toasts the face of Jesus onto bread.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n8. Robotic Pipe Organ\n\n\nFunded: $1,105\nHigh school and college students built this set of robotic pipe organs that anyone can play and watch over the Internet. This project met its funding, and can  be viewed here.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n9. Smokin' Glassware Dry Ice Goblet\n\n\nGoal: $20,000\nLooking to grab attention at a party? Consider adding a little dry ice to your drink - but do it safely. This unique glass allows the drinker to enjoy dry ice \"smoke\" without worrying about frostbite. It was originally created to improve the martini, but the project is hoping to market a novelty glass that makes any beverage smoke like a cauldron.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n10. Edible Cups\n\n\nFunded: $10,429\nNow you can have your cup, drink out of it and eat it too! These biodegradable vegan cups are flavored to pair with the beverage they contain. If you choose not to consume your cup, it will turn to compost. The project was completely funded and will be available for sale soon.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBONUS: Yorkies Brand Briefs\n\n\nFunded: $7, 525\n\"For men who are going places,\" this Kickstarter was inspired by one of the top political scandals of 2011 involving Anthony Weiner. The briefs have a QR code printed on the front, and the \"sexy message\" will be voted on by the fans of Yorkies' Facebook page.\nNote: Some of the photos on the Kickstarter and Facebook page may be NSFW.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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