RENATUS: RETHINK, REUSE, REBIRTH

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There is a lack of awareness of what a shoe is made up of, and that it can be recycled. Some claim to recycle their shoes by donation, but donations are just an entry point for unwanted goods to go once a user is done using the product. Unfortunately, what happens during the sorting process is that the least worn items will remain while the unusable items end up in the trash, which leads to the landfill.

It was important to research various shoe materials that are recyclable, sustainable, and eco-friendly. Finding a local store that could recycle these materials was necessary. This lead me to NIKE’s Reuse A Shoe program, where they are able to recycle old shoes. I conducted a survey and interviews, and asked individuals how they dispose their shoes and if they knew of any other method of disposing them once worn out. The result was that, majority would throw out their shoes into the trash or donated them if still wearable. This was an opportunity for me to bring awareness to the concept of recycling.