Puma is developing a biodegradable version of its "Suede" shoe

09 November 2021, Mumbai:

Puma, a sportswear company, has announced the start of a circular pilot project to explore a biodegradable version of its most famous shoe, the Suede. The "Re: Suede - No Time For Waste" experiment, which aims to improve waste management in the footwear sector, will involve around 500 workers.

What will the shoes and accessories of the future look like? The fashion industry is coming up with all kinds of ways to make the sector greener or at least less polluting with innovations designed to reduce environmental impact upstream, during, or after product manufacturing.

From 3D printing to turning greenhouse gases into biomaterials to innovative and sustainable materials, the fashion industry is coming up with all kinds of ways to make the sector greener or at least less polluting.

Puma is targeting the post-product phase, notably waste management, with its new "Re: Suede - No Time For Waste'' pilot initiative. The company has announced a new pilot to test a biodegradable Suede shoe, which was first released in 1968.

This limited edition will be manufactured from sustainable materials such as Zeology tanned suede, biodegradable TPE, and hemp fibers, and will be based on breakthrough technology.

In Germany, 500 people will be chosen to participate in the initiative, which will begin in January 2022 and allow participants to wear the "Re: Suede'' shoes for six months before returning them to Puma.

The goal is to assure the shoe's durability in real-world settings as well as its effective biodegradability. The sneakers will subsequently be delivered to the Valor Compostering B.V. recycling plant in the Netherlands, which is operated by Ortessa Groep B.V. Puma notes,

"The purpose of this phase is to see if Grade A compost can be created for agricultural use." The company plans to disseminate the findings of this study so that the whole footwear industry may improve waste management.

This isn't the first time Puma has attempted something similar. The firm previously designed and released a biodegradable shoe as part of its InCycle line in 2012. According to the company, this inaugural project was canceled after four seasons owing to "poor demand and the necessity for further research and development."

This new trial is part of the brand's "Forever Better" sustainability plan, which seeks to minimise waste by 2025 by implementing a number of measures such as expanding the usage of recycled polyester and establishing product return programmes.

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