Partnership for circular footwear

Globally, 24 billion shoes are added to the market each year, of which 90% are either landfilled or incinerated. To tackle this challenge, Fashion for Good, Amsterdam/Netherlands, has launched a new pilot with partners adidas, Inditex, Target and Zalando, in collaboration with innovator FastFeetGrinded, Heerhugowaard/Netherlands, aiming to test and validate the footwear recycling process and support the uptake of recycled materials in footwear.
FastFeetGrinded possesses the unique capability to deconstruct any type of pre- and post-consumer shoe, breaking it down into its macro-components. These macro-components are then subsequently grinded down into smaller high purity granulates which they may use to create material streams for repurposed use.

Through this collaborative pilot, the partners will divert pre- and post-consumer footwear to FastFeetGrinded, who will transform them into various new material granulates. The next step involves the company’s extensive network of supply chain partners, who will produce output products, such as outsoles, midsoles, and flip flops. The brands will closely evaluate the products’ quality and purity, aiming to showcase the potential of FastFeetGrinded's footwear recycling technology and pave the way for scalable solutions.
With the demand for raw materials expected to triple by 2050, urgent action is needed to reduce the dependence on virgin resources4. FastFeetGrinded, as a key recycling innovator, plays a crucial role in providing the industry with secondary raw materials, catering to the rising market demand and regulatory requirements for recycled content. To meet demand, the company operates in a 4,000 m² facility, and is already planning global expansion of its facilities.