New Flip-Flops Cost $18,000, Planet Saving Included

Good news! It's not too late to buy the $18,000 pair of flip-flops that hit the market this week.

"We don't have anyone yet who has seriously come forward, but we are in talks with a few people," Priya Jaggia, the founder of Chipkos footwear, told DailyFinance on Friday.

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The hefty price comes with a philanthropic dividend: After it rings up the purchase, eco-minded Chipkos will protect 100,000 square feet of Costa Rican rainforest. The sandals are handpainted in 18-karat gold by Los Angeles artist David Palmer and come in a display case of glass and reclaimed wood.

The buyer will also get to meet the artist and spend two nights at a Beverly Hills hotel that is LEED-certified, meaning it gets the green stamp of approval.

It's Art, Not Footwear

Jaggia says she has observed many campaigns for nature conservation that didn't catch on, so she devised the attention-grabbing hook of an ultra-exclusive pair of sandals. The flip-flops trumpet a good cause while highlighting Chipkos' regular line of $42 flip-flops. For every sale of those $42 flip-flops, Chipkos said it will "adopt" 100 square feet of rainforest.

The square design of all Chipkos flip-flops is inspired by the Indian ashram style popular in the 1960s, according to the company website. But most of those, of course, didn't cost as much as a down payment on a condo.

If you plan to buy the world's most expensive thongs, you probably don't want to wear them. Imagine stepping on gum in the 7-Eleven parking lot.

As Jaggia says: "Given the fact that the majority of the artwork is on the foot side, we are anticipating that these find a home on the wall instead of on the soles of your feet."