In honour of Earth Day, Japanese athleticwear brand ASICS has revealed a sustainable footwear collection simply dubbed Earth Day Pack which features a range of men’s and women’s sneakers made out of recycled textiles.
More specifically, roughly five tons of recycled textiles (the equivalent of 25,000 t-shirts) were used to create the new sneaker styles.
The Earth Day Pack collection utilized a circular manufacture approach. First, they collected a mix of textile waste and used apparel. Then, they recycled the textiles into pellets. Finally, the pellets were turned into thread and it was this thread that was used in ASICS’ Earth Day footwear collection. Taking a circular approach ultimately prevented several tons of textile waste from ending up in landfills and through upcycling, created new pairs of shoes and limited apparel.
Further, between 30 and 50% of each style’s upper is made of recycled materials.
In addition to the recycled materials that made up the bulk of the shoe, the brand employed an eco-friendly, resource-saving dyeing method. The method in question is called solution dyeing and ASICS claims it reduces carbon emissions by 45% and water usage by 33% compared to traditional dyeing methods.
As a symbol of ASICS’ commitment to the environment, each pair of shoes in the Earth Day Pack collection is adorned with a sunflower and seed graphic with two arrows in the centre. The sunflower and its seeds are meant to convey the brand’s dedication to preserving the planet and planting the seeds for a better, more sustainable future, while the arrows are a nod to ASICS’ goal of creating a circular economy.
Running, court, and sportstyle sneakers are included in the collection, all of which have a distinct retro vibe, with design inspiration coming from the ‘80s and ‘90s. Each style is available in one colourway, a cream/gold combination.
ASICS’ Earth Day Pack collection is now available on the brand’s website.
All images in this article are courtesy of ASICS.
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