Sneakers Made Of Recycled Plastic

Saolo Recycled And Vegan Shoes

Saolo makes cool streetwear-style shoes out of recycled materials, organic cotton, and get this harvested algae. The company designs their recycled shoes to be comfortable and lightweight. Plus, they add extra cushioning with sustainable cork insoles. Every pair of their shoes keeps 3-4 plastic bottles out of the landfill and ocean. Saolos shoes are also 100% vegan.

Converse Renew Recycled Chucks

Converse is doing its part toward a more eco-friendly future for fashion, too. The brands famous sneakers are available in the Converse Renew line, which are still as stylish as their other lines, but instead feature translucent midsoles and flecked outsoles. While recycled rubber is the main material used here , there are other recycled materials used as well, including plastic.

Converse has an impressive amount of footwear available for women, men, and kids. There are sneakers for skateboarding, basketball, high tops, low tops, and shoes made custom to order. In terms of color, there is a veritable rainbow for you to choose from.

Our Pick: Chuck 70 Marketed as being Converses most sustainable sneaker yet, this shoe made from recycled materials is as trendy as it is comfortable. They are available in two different summer inspired colors and would make the perfect addition to a warm weather wardrobe.

Shishas In Sustainable E

The Swiss company Toff Drehteile AG manufactures water pipes under the label toff design shishas. To ensure that these arrive atreach the customer without scratches and damage, the family business relies on a new, sustainable e-commerce packaging. The material-optimized solution was developed and produced by DS Smith.The unusual design consists of a lower and an upper open corrugated board inlay. The inlays securely fix the delicate shishas in the packaging, but without additional filler materials. An unboxing experience is also included for many customers. Because the first thing the customer sees after opening the box is his or her individually produced water pipe in contrast to the natural corrugated cardboard.Smoking pleasure is promised by toff design shishas with its purist, functional design water pipes. The shishas are also individually manufactured at the headquarters of the family business at the request of customers requests. Fabian Toff, Managing Director of toff design shishas emphasizes: For online shipping, we were looking for packaging that would reliably protect our sensitive premium products in transit and at the same time stage the unpacking process as an emotional moment. In addition, the solution had to be sustainable and space-saving to store.

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How Are Recycled Shoes Made

Eco-friendly shoes are produced from recycled materials like plastic and rubber, as well as renewable materials like cotton and cork. Recycled plastic is used to create a variety of high-quality shoes and gear. Polyester and plastic bottles are both composed of the same material polyethylene terephthalate. Heres how the plastics and rubber from your homes dustbin contribute to a pair of recycled shoes:

Clear plastics and materials are chosen since they can be dyed into different colors later. Before moving on to the next step, all plastic tops are separated and any labels are steam cleaned.

The clear materials are then properly cleaned before being sent into a shredding machine, where they are chopped into tiny flakes. This is the first step in the deconstruction-to-reconstruction process.

The flakes are cleansed once more, as flake purity is critical for sustaining the value of the recycled materials.

The shredded flakes are then broken down far more in the next process until they resemble small perfectly formed pellets.

The pellets are then heated and removed through minute holes, resulting in filaments, those fibers are then turned into threads, and heres your recycled material for recycled shoes.

The 5 Best Recycled Shoe Brands For Eco

What do you look for in shoes? Brand, aesthetic, or comfort? Regardless, its important to know the impact of your purchase and the sustainable choices available to you. We all know that the fashion industry and its fast fashion is bad for the environment but one aspect we dont think about is footwear. Footwear accounts for 16% to 32% of the fashion industrys total pollution and it wreaks havoc on the planet in different ways. This guide will explore the impact of footwear and feature a list of shoes made from recycled materials.

This post does contain some affiliate links which means The Honest Consumer will receive a commission if you decided to purchase. Our commission is at no additional expense to you!

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Movmt Recycled And Organic Cotton Shoes

The Peoples Movement is another socially conscious company that was founded by a surfer who couldnt stand the amount of pollution he was seeing in the ocean.

MOVMT makes their cool shoes with recycled plastic and other eco-friendly materials like organic cotton canvas. The result: stylish shoes that are casual and comfortable.

Heres CEO Kevin Flanagan talking about the mission behind the Peoples Movement:

Indosole Recycled Tire Shoes

Started by surfer Kyle Parsons, San Francisco and Bali-based Indosole repurposes discarded tires and uses them in the soles of their vegan footwear line. Billions of used tires are discarded every year, which pollute waterways and other natural habitats.

Indosole is a certified B Corporation, which means its a for-profit company thats certified by the nonprofit B Lab for maintaining rigorous social and environmental standards.

Heres a video about Indosoles production process in Bali:

You can see flip flops by Indosole in my recycled flip flops guide.

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Materials Used In Nikes Recycled Shoes

The selection of materials, which account for more than 70% of any products footprint, is one of the most important elements in Nikes road to zero carbon and zero waste. Nikes recycled shoes have considerably cut carbon emissions by reusing existing plastics, yarns, and materials:

Recycled Polyester

Plastic bottles are cleaned, crushed into flakes, transformed into pellets, and then turned into a high-quality yarn to make recycled polyester for Nike sustainable shoes. In addition to lowering trash, recycled poly reduces carbon emissions by approximately 30% compared to virgin polyester and saves an estimated 1 billion plastic bottles from landfills and waterways each year.

Nike Air

Another amazing componet used in Nikes recycled shoes collection is Nike Air. All Nike Air soles have been made up of at least 50% recycled manufacturing waste since 2008. All of Nikes AirMI facilities in North America are powered entirely by renewable wind energy as of 2020. Nike recycles more than 90% of the trash from Air sole materials to create new, creative cushioning solutions.

Sustainable Cotton

Recycled Nylon

Circular Fashion: A Great Solution For The Problems Of Fast Fashion

Instead of supporting the fast fashion industry which even at its greenest continually exploits natural resources and is very wasteful, circular fashion is the way to go.

Circular fashion means that waste and pollution are designed out: materials are used and reused as much as possible, natural systems are regenerated rather than continually exploited, and waste is avoided at the end of a products lifestyle by making it into something new.

With shoes, in particular, this means a complete rethink in designmass produced shoes are usually made with types of glue and stitching that make them nearly impossible to recycle.

With circular fashion, when products have finally reached the end of their life they are either disposed of in a sustainable way or used to create other products.

One way you can support the circular fashion concept is to start buying recycled shoes. 85% of textiles arent recycled, and it takes up to 40 years for a shoe to start to decompose in landfill. Recycled shoes will use up existing waste and will also be used again at the end of their life.

The exciting thing is that they dont solely have to be made from old shoesthey can also be made from recycled bottles, fishing nets, reclaimed rubber, and sustainable materials such as algae and cork.

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Hyderabad Startup Neemans Offers Shoes Made Of Recycled Plastic

Hyderabad: There are many ways that plastic can be recycled one can make T-Shirts, one can break them into granules and re-use them to make pet bottles. However, have you ever heard of a shoe made from recycled plastic?

You heard it right! Hyderabad-based sustainable and eco-friendly footwear brand is offering exactly that.

Branded ReLive Knits, the company Neemans collects discarded plastic bottles, recycles them and washes them and then they are shredded into small flakes. The chips are then melted, cooled, and pressed through a die, forming long strands of yarn that are further refined and spun through a 3D knitting machine to then form the upper of the shoe.

Once the upper part of the shoe is ready, naturally available material is used to make the inside sole which is made from plant-based caster bean oil, recycled rubber and wastepaper, says Amar Preet Singh, co-founder, Neemans.

The inside sole has a cushioning effect thus making the shoe odor and sweat resistant. We get in touch with companies that convert plastic waste into yarn and then we use that fibre to make our show. While the fiber might be sourced internationally, the assembly happens in Hyderabad itself and the major part of our manufacturing is done through third parties, he says.

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Wait Theres A Catch: Microplastics And Microfibers

When modern society comes up with technological solutions to our problems, we sometimes introduce unintended consequences . When we use recycled plastic in our clothing, we create some serious negative externalities in the form of microplastics.

Microplastics are, simply, pieces of plastic that are less than 5 mm in diameter, or about the size of a sesame seed and often much smaller, potentially microscopic. In the past, humans introduced microplastics into the environment indirectly. Namely from larger plastic waste degrading over time.

In recent years studies have shown that when consumers wash products made of recycled material, the clothing sheds microscopic fibers. These fibers can easily pass through water filtration systems and end up in waterways and, ultimately, the ocean.

Scientists find microplastics literally everywhere on Earth floating in the oceans, inside animals, and yes, even inside you!

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Best Sneakers Made Of Recycled Plastic

It used to be very difficult to find footwear made from recycled plastic and other waste materials. But, with more brands supporting re purposing and recycling, there is now a much bigger choice.

Many of the big brands are now incorporating recycled plastic and other re purposed materials into their footwear. This makes it much easier to choose footwear that will leave a green footprint.

Next time you buy trainers, make sure that you look for these eco conscious sneakers made of recycled plastic.

• 8. The North Face

The North Face Recycled Shoes

This brand has committed itself to the goal of becoming 100 percent responsibly sourced by 2025, and in order to meet that goal they have started using renewable, regenerative, and recycled materials in their shoe fabrication. They currently use recycled PET in their shoe construction, and also have a program called Clothes the Loop which takes unwanted footwear and clothing and repurposes it.

Whether youre looking for hiking footwear , trail running footwear, sneakers, boots, slippers, or sandals, you will be able to find them at The North Face. Constructed with longevity in mind, this footwear is built to endure rugged conditions, but will do just as well for hanging out at home or with your friends.

Our Pick: Mens VECTIV Infinite With a bold yellow and black pattern, these sneakers are a responsive and fast trail shoes that offer incredible cushioning and great traction. These are the perfect shoe people who love to explore the outdoors on foot.

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Vivians Recycled Shoes For Men & Women

Vivaia is a shoe company that makes mens and women’s shoes using recycled bottles, wool, and rubber. Each pair contains a foam insole to keep your feet free of moisture and bacteria whilst maintaining long-term cushioning. If youre looking for something specific, Vivaia has no shortage of adorable designs. Their collection comes in different styles, colors and patterns that can complement different outfits and situations whether formal or casual. Talk about an abundance of sustainable footwear! Vivaia offers eight styles of flats and heels including square and rounded-toe flats, square, round, and pointed-toe heels , thick, chunky heels and thin, stiletto-style heels, among others.

Sneakers From Scraps: 10 Ideal Brands For Buying Recycled Shoes

The fashion industry is worth more than $2.4 Trillion and growing, which is enough evidence to help you guess how enormous its carbon footprint might be. Did you know that footwear contributes between 16 and 32 per cent of the overall pollutants caused by this gigantic industry? I bet not. The shoe manufacturing process has a variety of effects on the environment, based on the kind of material that has been used. Have you worn out your beloved pair of shoes from all of those long, solitary walks? Are you looking for a new pair of shoes made from recycled plastic? Well, in that case, we brought you a present.

When a pair of shoes reaches the end of its lifespan, it is normally dumped in a landfill, which can take more than 1,000 years to decompose. Recycled shoes are the alternatives that we need to tweak these statistics in our favor, helping everyone with living sustainably. These kinds of shoes are made from recycled plastic bottles, polythene, and other kinds of waste. While these recycled shoes help keep the environment healthy and sustainable, they also increase fashion consciousness.

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Adidas And Stella Mccartney

Adidas, together with designer Stella McCartney, are producing sneakers that use 75 percent recycled plastic, that would have ended up in the ocean. Adidas Primeknit technology uses knitting technology to knit the upper of the shoe in one piece.

There is no waste, as the one shoe is finished, the knitting machine continues with the same yearn to knit the next shoe. This results in a shoe that adapts to your feet as you run.

We can all start by saving the planet one shoe at a time!

The collaboration between Adidas and Stella McCartney has resulted in a range of eco conscious shoes and sportswear. This is where you can purchase your pair. The fabric for sportswear is made from 85% recycled polyester and 15% elastane.

Discover more about Adidas and Reebok and other eco sustainable footwear in this post on Eco Shoe Brands: Sneakers with a Green Soul.

Rothys Deep Dive: Pros And Cons

We have tested three pairs of Rothys over the last few years. The first two pairs have held up really well . We loved the fact that they were completely washable, even the insole . As compared to other cheap, basic black flats on the market, Rothys are far superior.

There are a few drawbacks of though:

All that being said, we love Rothys its pretty ridiculous that they pretty much look brand new after years of use. I guess that speaks to the durability of plastic, for good or ill.

Sizing up is not much of an option if you have any concerns about how your feet might feel at the end of a long day, but they are a good investment, and you can choose classic styles that will never go out.

We look forward to trying a Rothys bag or maybe a boot or sneaker. Stay tuned.

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Some Things To Consider

I personally think using rPET as a material to make shoes is a sustainable option with the good outweighing the bad if its done right. These are some sustainability questions I am keeping in mind when buying:

• Is the material 100% rPET or a blend?
• Is the material post consumer rPET or post industrial rPET ?
• Has the final product been tested for antimony trioxide? Ive sent this questions to a few companies and I havent heard back so Im not sure how viable this question is but I will keep asking!
• Does the company offer a take back program where they offer to recycle old product into new?

The 15 Best Shoes Made From Recycled Plastic For 2022

Were reader-supported. If you make a purchase using our links, we may earn a commission. We only feature brands with values that align with ours.

Are you looking for a pair of shoes made from recycled plastic? Weve got you covered with a list of the best brands creating shoes from recycled plastic.

Did you know the footwear industry is estimated to produce more than 20 billion pairs of shoes every year, with less than 5% of shoes being recycled with most shoes disposed of in landfills or other waste streams? Yep, you read that right.

Plus, the fashion industry contributes around 35% of the marine microplastic pollution, equating to approximately 190,000 tonnes per year.

Plastics, including PU, EVA, and PET, are some of the most used materials in the footwear industry behind leather. Combine the high use of plastic with the low percentage of shoes recycled, and its clear the footwear industry contributes significantly to the plastic pollution and plastic waste problems we currently face.

Thats why we must change our consumer habits by purchasing less and switching to brands that utilize more eco-friendly materials, including using recycled plastics over virgin plastic.

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