New Balance has a logo that is well recognizable by all runners. The company is currently headquarters in New England, and sells 1 out of every 3 pairs in the European market. Since its beginnings, New Balance was a brand that expanded thanks to word of mouth, something that continues to work for them. They continue to be successful and millions of runners attest to their success. New Balance has taken another step towards sustainability by including two models under its product umbrella: the 574 and the Fresh Foam 1080 V2; but only specific colorways. Since polyester and leather are two of the most environmentally damaging materials, the models will be redesigned under its Green Leaf standards. One of the sustainability goals is to use at least 50% recycled polyester and 100% environmentally preferable leather by 2025.
New Balance's Green Leaf standard marks the use of more environmentally friendly materials in the production of footwear and apparel. In the case of the apparel collection, this means that 50% of the materials used are from sources with a lower impact on nature. In the case of footwear, it applies when at least 50% of the upper materials come from sources with a lower environmental impact and when material in the midsole or outsole is made from 3% bio-based material or 5% recycled content. New Balance takes into account which materials have a lower impact on the environment based on its physical characteristics, such as its recycled polyester, or the sustainable sourcing practices used to obtain it, like its leather from Leather Working Group qualified tanners.
New Balance’s own Sustainable Standard New Balance's Green Leaf standard is the brand's own initiative toward a sustainable business model. This new sustainability metric means that, in products where we can see the green leaf logo, at least 50% of the materials are sourced in an environmentally preferable way for apparel and at least 50% of the body materials and 1 of the sole materials is 3% bio-sourced or 5% recycled in the case of trainers. Also for the spring 2022 collection, approximately 19% of new footwear offerings and more than 60% of apparel will be under the specifications of this standard, which focuses on accelerating a systemic change in its business model that will lessen New Balance's impact on the environment.