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The footwear industry's race towards circularity

As a result, around ** per cent of used shoes are still incinerated or sent to landfills, where they release pollutants and greenhouse gases.

In response, footwear companies are beginning to overhaul this linear system by experimenting with circular design and recycled materials. These approaches aim to lessen dependence on virgin resources while producing shoes that are easier to repair, disassemble and recreate. Nike’s long-running ‘Reuse-A-Shoe’ programme now collects more than *.* million pairs annually, while adidas has rolled out recycled polyester across its product lines. Such initiatives suggest a growing commitment to circularity, even if the transition remains uneven and far from universal.