The initiative underscores the necessity for industry-wide collaboration to tackle the complex challenges associated with footwear sustainability. Fashion for Good is calling on innovators and collaborators to join this movement, emphasizing the need for collective action to drive systemic change.
According to Fashion for Good, the global footwear industry produces approximately 23.9 billion pairs of shoes annually, often using over 40 different materials such as TPU, EVA, PU, and rubber. This complexity, coupled with low recycling rates, results in most discarded footwear ending up in landfills.
The initiative will focus on four key workstreams: Design: Establishing circular design principles and guidelines to foster a circular infrastructure in footwear. Materials: Identifying and validating sustainable alternatives for materials used in footwear production.
End of Use: Creating a comprehensive dataset on post-consumer footwear waste, and developing solutions for repair, disassembly, and recycling. Traceability: Developing a footwear traceability data protocol to support transparency and sustainability claims.
Katrin Ley, Managing Director at Fashion for Good, stated, “Our goal is to radically rethink footwear sustainability by leveraging our expertise and driving circularity in a sector that is ready for disruption.”
Sigrid Buehrle, SVP of Product Operations and Sustainability at Adidas, highlighted the partnership’s potential: “Building on our six-year collaboration with Fashion for Good, we aim to overcome barriers in material performance and scalability. This initiative is crucial for advancing sustainable solutions in the footwear industry.”
The initiative builds on Fashion for Good's extensive experience in scouting and pioneering innovations, setting the stage for a significant shift towards sustainable footwear practices.