At cyclingdestination.cc, we are always looking for beautiful initiatives in the field of sustainability. Although we sometimes regret having to stay for a short time with a flight, we try to choose the train more often. In our articles, flying is the last option unless you are talking about islands like Tenerife or Lanzarote. In that case, flying is actually the only option. That is why we are very happy that companies in the cycling industry are also developing more awareness for sustainability. Even the big player Shimano is getting involved and is starting to collect and recycle used shoes.
45 drop-off points for your used shoes
Shimano has teamed up with FastFeetGrinded to create a great system. All shoes that are returned to one of the 45 collection points They don’t end up in the waste stream, but instead find a second life. Think of a clothes hanger, picnic table, or sports floor. Shimano sees this as a small but important step towards making the production chain more sustainable. With a small nudge, the company is doing its part: with the purchase of a new pair of shoes, you get free shoe plates included.
Sports shoes are big business
Did you know that about 24 billion pairs of sports shoes are produced annually? That’s 48 billion pairs of shoes! Sports shoes are consumables that wear out. Especially in the case of cycling shoes, they eventually reach the end of their life. Although you can enjoy a good pair of shoes for years, they are sometimes difficult to repair and therefore require replacement. If these shoes end up in the waste stream, they end up in the incinerator and that is a waste. Better they can have a second life!
How does that work now?
During the recycling process, the different materials are separated, after which they find a second life as sports flooring, picnic table, shoe rack, or clothes hanger. By producing them smartly, these products are almost entirely made from old shoes (85%) and bio-based material. In this way, we not only reduce waste, but also reduce the need for new raw materials.
Questions & tips
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