Recycled Materials For Shoe making
The use of recycled materials in shoemaking has been gaining traction in recent years, driven by both environmental concerns and consumer demand for more sustainable products. Here's an overview of recycled materials in the context of shoemaking.
Recycled Rubber
Usage: Often used for shoe soles, especially in eco-friendly footwear lines.
Benefits: Reduces the need for new rubber production, which can be resource-intensive. It also helps in reducing waste in landfills.
Recycled PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)
Usage: Recycled from plastic bottles, it's transformed into fibers that can be woven into various materials, including the mesh for athletic shoes or even shoelaces.
Benefits: Helps reduce plastic waste and the environmental impact associated with virgin plastic production
Recycled Leather
Usage: Scraps and off-cuts from leather production are reprocessed to create recycled leather products.
Benefits: Makes use of waste from the leather industry, reducing the need for new leather production.
Recycled EVA and Foam
Usage: Some companies are starting to use recycled EVA for midsoles in shoes.
Benefits: Reduces waste and the environmental footprint of shoe production.
Recycled Ocean Plastics
Usage: Plastics retrieved from oceans and beaches are processed and turned into materials suitable for shoe production.
Benefits: Helps clean up ocean plastic pollution and raises awareness about the issue.
Recycled Cotton and Textiles
Usage: Old garments and textile waste can be processed and woven into new fabrics for shoes.
Benefits: Reduces waste and the water and resource footprint associated with virgin cotton farming.
Real-World Applications
Several major footwear companies and startups have begun incorporating recycled materials into their products:
Adidas has a line of shoes made with Parley Ocean Plastic, which uses plastic waste intercepted from beaches and coastal communities.
Nike has introduced shoes with uppers made entirely from recycled polyester, and they also use recycled rubber in some of their soles.
Allbirds, a sustainable shoe brand, uses materials like recycled bottles for their laces and recycled cardboard for packaging.
Rothy's is a brand known for its flats made entirely from recycled plastic water bottles.
Timberland has used recycled PET to create the linings of some of its boots.
While the use of recycled materials in shoemaking started as a novel idea, it has now become a real and growing trend in the industry. As technology advances and recycling processes improve, it's likely that the use of recycled materials in footwear will become even more widespread.
Online stores to buy some if these Recycled materials
Here are some online stores where you can purchase various recyled materials for shoemaking:
https://www.alibaba.com/showroom/recycled-materials-for-shoemaking.html