Is New Balance's Used Shoes Program a Step in the Right Direction?

New Balance, a sports footwear and apparel manufacturer, is taking a step forward with sustainability by introducing its new resale program, dubbed "Reconsidered." This unique platform gives used shoes a second life, aligning with the brand's ambition to prolong the lifespan of its products.

The process is straightforward. Customers can go to the New Balance website and find pre-owned shoes for sale. These shoes aren't just old pairs lying around, though. They include customer returns and shoes with minor cosmetic imperfections that aren't up to the brand's standards for selling as brand new. Before they're listed, the shoes are cleaned and made ready for their new owners. This is a move that can help mitigate the negative cost associations with consumer retail returns.

To promote this initiative, New Balance is offering a trade-in program. Customers can send their gently worn New Balance shoes via mail or drop them off at a store. In return for accepted shoes, they get a voucher that they can use on the New Balance website for their next purchase. The value of the voucher depends on the condition of the traded-in shoes and the time of year, but the trade-in page explains that "the amount could be up to 25% of the original MSRP."

The launch of Reconsidered also aims to tackle the environmental impact of the footwear industry, such as the problem of too many shoes ending up in landfills. By extending the product life of its footwear, the company hopes to minimize waste and get the most out of the resources already consumed during manufacturing.

Unfortunately, this program seems somewhat limited by some of the exceptions to what the brand will accept, including "sneakers with heavy creasing, excessive scuffing, heavy tread wear, [notable] insole wear, significant staining, shoes with rips, tears, or holes, and damaged labels." For any shoes New Balance doesn't accept, even though customers won't get a voucher, the company will donate the shoes to the local nonprofit organization Soles4Souls, so they will still find a new home.

On the broader sustainability front, New Balance has ambitious goals. The brand aims to achieve approved 1.5°C-aligned emissions reduction goals, source 100% renewable electricity for owned operations by 2025, and commit to using lower-impact materials. Other aspirations include transitioning to low-carbon transportation and advocating for stronger climate policies.

The technological aspect of the Reconsidered platform is powered by Archive, a specialist in branded resale. Meanwhile, the cleaning, fulfillment, and warehousing of these products are handled by Tersus Solutions, employing innovative waterless cleaning techniques and a range of textile recycling solutions.

A pilot of the in-store trade-in program is scheduled to take place at eight retail locations in the U.S., with plans to expand into more stores later in the year.

The Greener Crocs Program

New Balance isn't the first footwear company to offer a way to recycle used shoes. Crocs launched an innovative shoe recycling program in October. The mission is simple — give used shoes a second life, mitigate wasteful practices, and contribute toward a sustainable future.

Last year, Crocs outlined its sustainability goals, planning to achieve net zero emissions by 2040. This was a postponement over the initial decade-long plan due to a spike in emissions between 2021 and 2022. Deanna Bratter, vice president and global head of sustainability for Crocs, highlighted the importance of circular design and production plans in achieving this feat.

"When you think about the circular economy, sometimes people just think about waste and doing something with waste," Bratter stated. "But when we think about the concept of creating a circular economy, it requires a variety of solutions, a lot of creativity." According to Bratter, Crocs aims to transform its production process by extending the lifespan of products, pondering over future recyclability, and seeking renewable inputs.

Crocs' novel collection program, launched in 10 U.S. states, will collect data to understand the complexities of implementing this initiative. These states were specifically chosen due to their diverse climate change attitudes. Around 50 Crocs retail stores will house collection bins for easy drop-offs by consumers.

Crocs will accept worn shoes of any condition. Shoes with minimal wear will also be handed to Soles4Souls, supporting entrepreneurs in the secondhand apparel industry. Shoes beyond usability will be repurposed by Crocs' product designers.

Simultaneously, Crocs intends to answer crucial questions like the most common type of shoes returned, their age, and the predominant motivation behind consumers participating in this initiative. This program is currently limited to the U.S., due to easier transport to processing locations, but the aim is to eventually expand nationwide. In an effort to reduce waste, Crocs also makes use of manufacturing scraps in some shoes. The company is exploring the possibility of recycling unusable collected shoes into future products.

A striking majority (over 81%) of Crocs' shoes are made from Croslite, a durable resin derived mainly from fossil fuels. The company plans to source 50% of its Croslite from bio-based alternatives by 2030. Current alternatives include tall oil from paper mills and used cooking oil. In 2022, only 2.2% of Croslite originated from non-fossil sources, but as of last November, they were on track to reach 20% by the end of 2023.

With mounting pressure on the footwear industry to reduce waste and emissions, Crocs' strategy is being seen as a gradual, rather than a giant, stride toward sustainability. Despite the challenges, the unique composition of Croslite could be an advantage in the company's recycling efforts.

In the realm of environmental impact, the footwear industry trails behind textiles. Every year, about 22 billion pairs of shoes end up in landfills, while a similar number are manufactured. And the public is taking notice. In a strange scenario last year, a social media post exposed how one Vans store dumped out excess shoe inventory and then slashed the shoes so that they could not be worn. With the fashion and apparel industry responsible for roughly 8% of annual greenhouse gas emissions, it's high time to rethink and reshape the situation.