eco-friendly trainers

she steps investigates the subject of eco-friendly trainers, from new kicks to old

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We are a quarter into 2018 and already the year appears to hold the power of waking up to the effects of our actions on the environment. In the lifestyle sector this year, there has been calls for single use coffee cup tax and the phasing out of plastic straw use. But what about fashion? Sustainable, vegan and recycled elements are all hot on the tongue of the fashion world. As the effects from years of poor environmental choices begin to surface, there is greater drive to transform the way we live. How can we create an eco-friendly footprint with our own footwear? she steps investigates…

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The focus of a footwear brand can increase their popularity. From time to time, must have elements in a trainer change. For the environment conscious, it may not necessarily be a question of what brands are hot, but what brands care. There are a few brands that really encapsulate environmental protection in their ethos.

Parisian trainer brand Veja brands itself as environmentally considerate. The brand notes that they focussed on sustainable and recycled materials, long before the issue was realised and dubbed an emergency. Veja trainers include elements that are organic, vegan, fairtrade and made without chemicals. Materials used in the trainers include organic cotton, wild rubber and even plastic bottles (check individual styles for specific features).

In a feature with Drapers, co-founder of the brand François-Ghislain Morillion, said “We deconstructed the sneaker supply chain to rethink each step of the process.” Veja has received a nomination for sports fashion footwear brand of the year in the Drapers Footwear Awards 2018. The brand has greater exposure now, receiving recognition for both its dedication to both the environment and beautifully crafted trainers.

Sports brand Adidas has a range called Parley, working in collaboration with US based company Parleythat focusses on ocean damage. The company aims to intercept plastic before it reaches the ocean and dedicates research to finding new uses and methods for plastic use. Through this research, Adidas Parley was created. The collection makes use of coastal plastic waste. The range includes fitness clothing and trainers designed by Stella McCartney for Adidas. The collaboration with Stella McCartney is one that is true, as the British designer is a campaigner for environmental change.

Footwear brand Nike has an initiative called Reuse-A-Shoe. Founded in the 1990s, the initiative takes in athletic footwear (a.k.a trainers) and recycles them to produce Nike Grind, outlined by Nike as “a material used to create athletic and playground surfaces and more.” The project is specifically for trainers that have no life left in them, so for trainers that are still wearable, donate for further use. For more details on how to Reuse-A-Shoe, visit the Nike website.

For trainer donations, there are a multitude of organisations that can help you to do so. There are different charities that specialise in shoe-related donations and causes. The United Shoe Recycling Company encourages the recycling of shoes. They can provide help for shoe banks and recycling facilities; you can even purchase a shoe bank from them to put in local amenities or place of work. Alternatively, if you fill a sack with shoes, the company will give back £5. This is a great way to not only clear your wardrobe of trainers, but any other shoes that also need to go. Shoes donated go to developing countries.

The Unicef Shoe Share works in conjunction with shoe shop Clarks. The ShoeShare program involves you donating any unwanted shoes to your local Clarks shop. The shoes will then be sold to fund educational equipment for schools in developing countries.

If you do not wish to part with a pair of trainers just yet, and feel like they have more to give, then ‘upcycle’ them. Opposite to recycle, upcycling refers to giving a new lease of life to a loved product. There are plenty of ways to upcycle your trainers. If you wish to leave it to the hands of a professional company, west London based company The Restory has a specialist service. The company displays a case study of a pair of Adidas Stan Smiths on their website, so for inspiration, why not start here?

The strategy The Restory offers is simple. Schedule a collection from an address (check applicable postcodes), choose your service and your items will be collected and returned after they have been revived. A mobile app facilitating this process is currently in the making. Services for upcycling trainers include sole painting, recolouring and hardware decoration with studs to embossing. The choice is yours.

To get involved personally and get creative, DIY upcycling is always an option. Haberdashery shop are never too far and their offerings provide a way for you to create the trainers you want. Try a local haberdashery shop or a chain such as Hobbycraft for everything from studs to sequins for a little as £2. Aside from being a great way of saving a pair of trainers from going in the bin, for a small cost it is like getting a new, unique pair of trainers.

Rhiannon Noke, a student from London said, “I recycled a pair of shoes once in my home town. We have a big recycling site for fabric, shoes etc. I’ve only recycled them once though” When asked about the advertisements for recycling old items, Noke added “I think it would be more beneficial if people knew more about it. I had to research it and it was only five minutes away from home.”

If it is time to part with a pair of trainers, instead of throwing them away with general waste, recycle them. There are different ways to recycle your trainers without it being long-winded and simply too much effort. Recyclenow.com is a website that gives information on how and where to recycle specific item. With the recycling locator feature, you can enter your postcode to find your nearest shoe recycling facilities.

There are numerous ways to easily change your environmental footprint, from recycling old trainers to updating and reinvigorating a pair that needed some TLC. The lesson is that there is usually an eco-friendly solution, all that’s needed is research. The increase in knowledge and options for environmentally conscious footwear is hopeful in creating a sustainable and thoughtful fashion sector.

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