Sneaker sales have long been driven by an intense hype machine. Secret limited-edition drops, queues that wrap around street corners and an endless stream of collaborations have created an industry that was worth a staggering US$70bn (A$103.5bn) in 2020. Which, in sneaker terms, amounts to billions of shoes.
Along with the rest of the fashion industry, the sneaker-hype machine has turned its focus to sustainability. Brands from Louis Vuitton to Adidas have released more “sustainable” sneakers, mostly by incorporating recycled materials. But using waste to make shoes doesn’t address the worst way sneakers plague the environment: the mountains of old shoes sitting in landfill. Now, however, some brands are trying to address that precise problem.
