Adidas develops running shoes that can be recycled

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Spotted: Germany-based shoe giant Adidas has developed running shoes made from 100 percent recyclable material. The idea is that customers will be able to return the shoes to the company instead of throwing them away. Once back with the company, they can be broken down into material to be used in a new pair.

Futurecraft Loop shoes are made with reusable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and do not contain glue. When they are worn to the point where they would normally be discarded, they can be sent back to Adidas. They are then washed, ground down to pellets and melted into a material that can be part of new shoes.

“Taking plastic waste out of the system is the first step, but we can’t stop there,” said Eric Liedtke, an Adidas executive board member. “Our dream is that you can keep wearing the same shoes over and over again.”

The company says the shoes will meet the same performance standards of its other high-performance athletic footwear. The Futurecraft Loop line, including the return and recycling process, is being tested in a beta program. A proper release is planned for the spring/summer of 2021.

Takeaway: Environmental concerns are abound when it comes to making synthetic running shoes. One study found that the creation of one new pair generates about 14 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions, the same that a 100-watt light bulb would emit if left to burn for one week. This same study determined that a typical pair is made of 26 different materials, which is what makes them so difficult to recycle. Adidas appears to have solved this by using only one type of material, and one that can be reused. Springwise continues to spot sustainable fabric being developed in new and exciting ways, including a design studio that created leather and glue from sunflowers.

Source: New feed 1