How PUMA has made a Sustainable, Compostable Suede Trainer
Sportswear giant PUMA will make a commercial version of its experimental RE:SUEDE 2.0 trainer – thanks to a successful two-year composting trial.
PUMA showed it was able to turn the RE:SUEDE into compost under tailormade industrial conditions during the pilot project.
As part of the experiment, which was concluded in late 2023, PUMA produced 500 special pairs of its suede trainer with materials selected for their ability to decompose, such as Zeology tanned suede.
Volunteers wore the RE:SUEDE for half a year before they returned them to PUMA, so the trainers could be turned into compost at a specially equipped industrial composting set up.
Up for grabs
PUMA will now make 500 pairs of the commercial version of this shoe, the RE:SUEDE 2.0, available for sale on puma.com/eu and Zalando Plus starting April 22.
A PUMA spokesperson said: “The commercial version has been developed to incorporate the lessons learned during the experiment and the feedback received from the volunteers.”
Making a meaningful impact
Anne-Laure Descours, PUMA Chief Sourcing Officer, said: “RE:SUEDE 2.0 is an important step towards finding viable end of life solutions for our footwear.
“While we are excited about this progress, we will continue to innovate with our partners to determine the infrastructure needed for a scalable long-term solution, essential for achieving meaningful impact in waste reduction.”
Once the RE:SUEDE 2.0s are worn out, customers can return them for free.
PUMA will then send them to its partners for composting. In exchange for sending them back, customers will receive a 20% discount on their next purchase
Circular Lab
The RE:SUEDE project and the polyester recycling programme RE:FIBRE were created as part of PUMA’s Circular Lab, an innovation hub aimed at creating the future of the company’s circularity programmes.
The spokesperson added: “Rethinking the way PUMA produces and moving towards a more circular business model is one of the priorities of the company’s FOREVER. BETTER. sustainability strategy over the coming years.”
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