25 billion pairs of shoes are made each year. 90 percent of these shoes will eventually end up in landfills where it takes up to 1000 years to biodegrade. End of life solutions in the footwear industry are few and far between and so, British brand Vivobarefoot realized that a circular economy is a necessity for the future’s sustainability.
Vivobarefoot has been designing multi-purpose terrain shoes, sandals and sneakers since 2012. Their innovative designs are ultra-thin and lightweight, protecting the foot and giving the sensation of being barefoot. While their main purpose is functionality and high performance, Vivobarefoot also has sustainability at the forefront of its brand mission. Many of their shoes are vegan and are made using plant-based materials, recycled canvas and foam derived from algae.
Vivobarefoot has now come up with a solution to extend the life cycle of its products. Recently, the footwear brand launched a new initiative called ReVivo, a program that will recondition and resell worn or returned Vivobarefoot shoes. This will result in fewer shoes ending up in the trash and also a decrease in demand for virgin materials.
“The shoe industry typically makes shoes out of complicated materials bonded together with petro-chemicals that will ultimately sit in landfill for a lot longer than the lives of the wearers,” said Galahad Clark, CEO of Vivobarefoot. “At Vivobarefoot, we’re on a journey to make the most sustainable shoes in the world: regenerative for people and the planet. The launch of ReVivo is a super exciting step in that journey and one of many initiatives we are taking to make sure none of our shoes ever end up slowly decaying in landfill.”
The ReVivo process will be thorough, returned shoes will be inspected for faults by skilled craftspeople at The Boot Repair Company. They will then be given one of three grades:
Grade one – Vivobarefoot’s finest reconditioned footwear, described as being “like new.”
Grade two – In great condition but has been repaired.
Grade three – In good condition but has had repairs and a replacement sole.
Once graded, the shoes are then deep cleaned inside and out. They are completely sanitized using Micro Fresh Technology which will ensure all known viruses and bacteria are killed. The repair process can then begin which includes re-stitching burst seams, patching torn or weak areas, re-bonding soles and replacing broken eyelets and lace hooks. Damaged laces and insoles are changed, and old insoles will be recycled or used to repair other shoes. Thin or damaged outer soles will be replaced, with old soles being recycled. The reconditioned shoes will also be sold in new packaging.
Once completely refurbished, the shoes will be available to buy on their e-commerce site www.revivo.com. The ReVivo project is one of many measures Vivobarefoot is introducing on its mission to disrupt the footwear industry.
All images in this article are courtesy of Vivobarefoot.
