The world’s leading sports brands Puma has transformed its suede sneakers into compost under special industrial circumstances. This is a result of its Re:Suede experiment after two years.
Under the Re:Suede experiment, 500 Puma shoes were created and worn by German volunteers to test the comfort and durability. The brand then collaborated with Ortessa Group to dispose of these shoes in a facility designed for industrial composting.
Before being turned into compost, the shoes went through a predetermined process. Throughout this procedure, Ortessa Group also made sure that their facilities in the Netherlands complied with all applicable regulatory criteria for compost.
Anne-Laure Descours, chief sourcing officer at Puma, shared that they will continue to innovate with partners to determine the infrastructure and technologies needed to make the process viable for a commercial version of the Re:Suede, including a takeback scheme, in 2024.
In order to let other stakeholders know more about the process, Puma will publish its knowledge on the experiment in a detailed report.
The Re:Suede experiment, together with the polyester recycling program Re:Fibre, belongs to Puma’s “Circular Lab”, aiming to shape the company’s circularity initiatives going forward.
- Recommended reading: Not all compostable packaging is made equal – here’s what to look for.
