Will Recycled Materials Be the New Trend that Dominates Footwear?

 

Did you know that footwear accounts for 16-32% of the fashion industry’s total environmental pollution? That includes everything from the toxic chemicals used in leather to textile-based shoes using water and the amount of plastic in synthetic-based footwear. Once a pair of shoes reaches its end life, it usually ends up a landfill.

With this in mind, the shoe industry should be rethinking its production and distribution channels. Going green could have substantial benefits for the planet and companies. Sharing thoughts on the topic of recycled materials in footwear, Matt Powell, Senior Industry Advisor, Sports NPD Group, joined MarketScale to share his thoughts. He believes it’s a multi-layered challenge that will require a significant pivot for shoe manufacturers.

To learn more, watch the full video and keep it locked to the Homepage of B2B for more travel news and insights.

“The first part that everyone needs to understand is that sustainability is really hard. It’s really complicated. It’s not the kind of effort that is going to be solved by making a small tweak to your business. It really means rethinking and refashioning your business from the ground up, how you make product, where you make product, how you ship product, and how you sell product.

All these things come into play. When we talk about brands that have been successful here, I think Patagonia really stands out as a brand that has been focused on sustainability for a very long time. It lives out those values very clearly. Their success in the marketplace versus other brands indicates that the brands can be both green and successful.”

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