Don’t stop to recycle. Run instead!

We’re hearing more and more fashion companies using recycled (or recyclable) materials to make their products. But now, a French company – Salomon – is reducing the NUMBER of materials that can be used to make their shoes.

That’s right – Salomon has created a 100% recyclable shoe that uses only one material… and it will make a huge difference in our shared quest to become more eco-friendly.

Less material means more recycling.

 

To start off, only one type of thread is used throughout the shoe – and the shoe’s upper portion is made from recycled polyester. This means it can then be recycled again into a new thread for fabric.

The foam in the shoe can later be ground up and used in other shoes, such as ski boots.

This means that nothing goes to waste, and nothing ends up in a landfill. Each part can be reused. In the future, it could even be possible to make the soles out of recycled polyester. This would allow the entire shoe to be created from one single material!

Salomon created these shoes with design in mind.

 

They’re made to be easily disassembled so that they can be created into a new shoe. Its regional collection centers gather these shoes for cleaning and disassembling before sending off the raw materials to local partners for recycling.

Then the recycled materials are sent to the manufacturer, and the rebirth (or recycle) of a new shoe begins again.

Creating new concepts for shoe recycling.

Because many people throw out their used shoes, Salomon is using this concept to introduce ideas of “circularity” in its other products. Salomon hopes to create a new system of shoe recycling.

“The footwear industry is a large contributor to pollution, and we have made a choice to be part of an industry shift that influences how shoes are made, how long they last, and what you do with them when it’s time for a new pair,” says Brent James, product line manager for running shoes at Salomon.

Unlike plastic water bottles, people often don’t consider what happens when they throw away their used shoes. And there are not many places established to make shoe recycling an easier process.

That’s why it’s important to create these types of innovations for future environmental awareness. Not only are they helpful now, they can also be spread to other countries and industries.

Would you buy these shoes? What price point do you consider is too much to be eco-friendly? Would you be willing to pay a premium?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!