Eco Offerings: Salomon’s Recyclable Shoe, Merrell’s Undyed Collection
Eco Offerings: Salomon’s Recyclable Shoe, Merrell’s Undyed Collection
In Spring 2021, Salomon will launch the Index.01, the brand’s first recyclable performance running shoe. Designed to be disassembled and recycled, the shoe was developed with the goal of reducing material waste and lessening the environmental impact of footwear by using circular life cycle principles.
Salomon President Michael White says the performance traits of the shoe are also important. “Designing a recyclable running shoe that meets the level of performance people expect from Salomon is something we are proud of,” he says. “It will be exciting to see what we learn from this process and how it shapes future innovation.”
The Index.01 performance running shoe uses a recycled polyester upper and a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) bottom unit, which are recycled separately at the end of the shoe’s life.
To recycle the Index.01, owners would visit www.salomon.com, print a shipping label and send the shoes to the closest collection center free-of-charge. The collection centers will be located across Europe, North America and Asia/Pacific, where they will receive the shoes, wash and dissemble them and then ship the parts to local recycling partners.
Salomon is also taking measures in its packaging to reduce waste by eliminating extra hangtags and stuffing paper in Index.01 boxes.
Merrell has introduced the Undyed Collection, a collection of footwear featuring all-white, undyed uppers made with partially recycled mesh and natural rubber outsoles. Compared to traditionally dyed shoes, the Undyed Collection employs recycled materials, reduces water use by 80 percent, and saves 50 percent overall energy through the production process, according to the brand.
The line includes eco-friendly iterations of performance trail runners: Agility Synthesis 2, MTL Skyfire, and Vapor Glove.
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