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We are running out of time to solve our footwear problem. Every year, an estimated 300 million pairs of sneakers are thrown away. Made from a variety of materials and chemicals the shoes that end up in our landfills don’t simply sit there. They leech into the environment – soil and water sources- over time. According to some reports depending on the materials, it can take up to 1,000 years for some parts of sneakers to decompose. So, with landfills expanding at an alarming rate and textiles and other materials taking their sweet old time to decompose, now is a good time to embrace sneaker recyclng.
Guide: Where To Recycle Your Clothes From The Comfort Of Home
Now, it should be noted that not all shoes are created equally. There are clear environmental benefits to supporting green brands. Fewer unnatural chemicals used can make natural materials like leather or wool biodegradable. Some sneaker companies that aren’t known for their eco-friendly ways are stepping up their sustainability game by offering sneaker recyclnig programs. Elsewhere innovative textiles could become the next 100% biodegradable sneaker. Yet, until we have a sneaker that you can plant in your tomato garden, taking the extra step to recycle sneakers properly is the best solution to reduce waste and its chemical impact.
For those of you who don’t consider trash bins and landfills as ideal places for old clothing and accessories The Wellness Feed team has rounded up alternatives from sneaker recycling to composting.
Cotton, Wool, Linen: RECYCLE
Wool sneakers have recently gained popularity for their breathable, waterproof and lightweight nature. Also, wool is an animal-derived material that is kind to the animals. Sheep are not harmed in the shearing. Linen and cotton are two other breathable materials that have been used in sneakers since the dawn of the tennis trainer. Since all of these materials are from nature, some cloth sneakers are biodegradable. Of course that all depends on the brand and the other materials, finishes and dyes used.
The Council for Textile Recycling has a database of places for you to send your old cloth shoes to. Other companies like The American Textile Service partner with Goodwill and waste organizations to ensure that your cloth sneakers are being used in the best possible manner. Sustainably throw out your old sneakers by dropping them off to one of their bins.
Classic Leather: COMPOST OR REPAIR
For those who do wear leather, a well-made leather accessory can last for what feels like a lifetime. Sure, there might be a few scuffs and knicks here and there, but nothing a good cobbler can’t fix. Rubber bottoms can be recycled and replaced. According to LeatherMag, leather treated with vegetables is compostable once it undergoes a simple process. That’s one reason to support natural brands.
Shoes that have been chemically treated are not biodegradable and should be repaired and donated first to be reused. If you don’t know a good cobbler in your area you can mail them to repair companies like My Shoe Hospital and Sole Supremacy.
If you really can’t find a use for them in your wardrobe, companies like Soles4Souls have drop-off locations for those looking for a way to donate their old shoes to those in need.
Fruit Leathers: COMPOST OR DONATE
Brands like the vegan-footwear company NoSaints use vegetable leathers for the soles of their sneakers. The Portugal-made sneakers are crafted from pineapple leather from Piñatex, a popular fruit-leather brand for many fashion-savvy apparel and accessory brands. The plant-based textile is made from discarded pineapple leaves. Apple leather (aptly named after its source material) is another vegan-textile of choice. While pineapples and apples are biodegradable, resins and other chemicals used to give the textiles their sleek finish are not.
Textile finishes vary depending on the brand, so ask before you buy to see if those sneakers will be composable in the next few years. For instance, shoes made from Pinatex are partially biodegradable. So, reach out and ask your brand if there are parts of the shoes that can be composted or safely thrown into the bin. If they aren’t, donate wearable shoes to your local Goodwill or Salvation Army.
Piñatex is not 100% biodegradable. The substrate/base material of Piñatex (made from 80% pineapple leaf fibre, 20% PLA) is biodegradable under controlled industry conditions.
Recycled Plastic: RECYCLE
When Adidas teamed up with Parley for the Oceans, they were pulling out plastic trash from the oceans to turn the waste into brand-new sneakers. It was an innovative answer to solve our ocean trash problem. Runners will be happy to know that these styles offer plenty of bouncy and comfort for long runs. For those of you who prefer a pretty ballet flat to an athletic shoe, there are several other brands producing feminine-looking shoes made from recycled plastic. When it comes to disposing of shoes that were once plastic water bottles, it is always best to sustainably throw out old sneakers into the recycling bin.
Shoes that aren’t fit for wearing again can find a second life with programs like Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program. All brands are accepted and you simply have to search by your zip code to find a program near you to send your shoes to. These shoes will then be ground up to be remade into a new materials that could become playgrounds or car tires.