If you’re wondering what to do with a pair of shoes you’ve worn to the max, take a pause before you toss them in your curbside trash.

Each year, more than 300 million pairs of shoes are thrown away in the United States, only to be dumped in a landfill or incinerated, which produces toxic chemicals in the air and soil. A 2013 MIT study found that a typical pair of running shoes produces 30 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. 

Many running stores and shoe and apparel brands are now taking steps to minimize waste and pollution from start to finish.

“New shoe [boxes] are filled with paper and cardboard,” Toni Reese, co-owner of Running Lab in Brighton, said, referring to the boxes and paper wrappings. 

Instead of tossing those items into the trash, Reese keeps a recycling bin in the backroom. The bin is then wheeled to a larger one downtown, which collects recyclable materials. 

Reese and her team also partner with Low Impact Alliance, a global nonprofit piloting an in-store collection system for consumer recyclables. The bins allow customers to recycle running shoes, socks, clothes and performance nutrition wrappers.

Used footwear is shipped to Sneaker Impact, which distributes it at a discount to developing countries, where it can be sold locally at an affordable rate. 

Similar footwear recycling and reuse programs are also available elsewhere. For example, the recycling organization Soles4Souls has drop-off centers in stores like DSW and Famous Footwear.

Popular athletic brands are also feeling the pressure to “go green,” increasingly incorporating recyclable materials into the shoes themselves or reselling gently used shoes.

”Every year, we find ways to make products from recyclable materials like water bottles,” Cathy Reed, the Michigan sales representative for Brooks Running, told Planet Detroit.

Brooks developed a biodegradable midsole in 2007 for the MoGo shoe and launched its first certified carbon-neutral shoe, the Ghost 14, in 2021. The company also uses recycled materials to develop its latest footwear and clothing. For example, the Adrenaline GTS 24 shoe is made of 34% recycled content — a 9% increase from the previous version.

Beyond recycling running shoes

This coming fall, Brooks is launching a line of trail shoes that will be certified carbon-neutral. This designation is determined based on emission reduction guidelines from the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). 

The process involves lowering emissions and purchasing carbon credits to offset any remaining emissions through Climate Impact Partners. The company aims to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

Other brands, like Swiss-based athletic company On, are developing their sustainability practices. On’s subscription-based program provides customers with a pair of shoes that they can wear for up to six months. They can send back and receive a new pair for a monthly fee. From there, On reuses portions of those shoes to create new shoe parts.

Reese said apparel can be especially tricky to recycle because zippers and buttons must be removed, and organizations don’t always have the bandwidth to take back large quantities of items.

Reese and her team regularly donate used shoes, socks, and apparel to Street Outreach Teams to further eliminate waste. This nonprofit supports individuals lacking access to housing and medical resources in Detroit. They also teach the organization’s volunteers how to measure feet for accurate shoe fittings.

Reese is exploring other ways the store can improve its sustainability practices. Her team no longer uses plastic silverware in-house and plans to switch to reusable shopping bags instead of plastic bags for customers. 

“I don’t think the job will ever be done — there’s always something we can tinker with to be a better partner for our environment,” she said.

To donate used running shoes/apparel/nutrition wrappers, contact your local run specialty store or connect with the following organizations: 

• Sneakers For Good: This program partners with retailers to collect used running shoes and repurpose them through micro-enterprise initiatives, helping to create jobs and support communities in developing countries.
• Gotsneakers: A social enterprise focused on environmental sustainability and economic development through recycling and redistributing new and used footwear.
• Soles4Souls: A nonprofit organization that accepts new and gently used shoes and clothing donations distributed to local entrepreneurs in low-income areas globally for resale.
• Sneaker Impact: This program collects gently used sneakers, which are distributed at a discounted price to create small businesses in developing countries.
• Terracycle With the goal of keeping trash out of landfills or from incineration, this company works to find innovative ways to recycle everyday products. 
• Second Cut Project: A program that resells and repurposes SmartWool brand’s used gear, such as socks and apparel.