The first report from Closing the Footwear Loop finds complex construction, mixed materials and undetectable sole polymers stand in the way of recycling
Nearly half of post-consumer footwear waste is rewearable. Image Shutterstock
Complexity identified as trip hazard for footwear
Every year around 23.8 billion pairs of shoes are produced by the global footwear industry but 90% of disposed footwear ends up in landfills or being incinerated. Reuse and recycling are two options to provide more sustain- able outcomes, but there are chal- lenges involved. Fashion for Good published the
Phase 1 report from the Closing the Footwear Loop project, the first major output of the European project which was launched in 2025. The organisation is leading this major initiative, bringing together 17 leading fashion and footwear brands and their programs. Phase 1 focused on pilots with
industry and technology partners CETIA, Matoha, Picvisa, and The 8 Impact. The report provides analysis of the material flow, composition analysis and condition of post-consumer footwear waste using a dedicated methodology developed by Circle Economy. Findings in Phase 1 of Closing the
Footwear Loop include: l 50% of post-consumer footwear waste in Europe is non-rewearable
l 46% of post-consumer footwear waste is rewearable, and the remaining 4% is contaminated, hindering rewear- ability and recyclability l 90% of rewearable footwear is exported from Europe, mostly to the UAE, China, and Pakistan l 24% of shoes classified as non-re- wearable had no physical damage l 37.7% of non-renewable sole materials were unidentifiable by NIR scanning. The project also piloted one of the
first three dedicated footwear sorting technologies, developed by Matoha, CETIA, and Picvisa.
France is frontrunner With a focus on France as the frontrun- ner EU country with a footwear-specific EPR scheme, the project has also involved work with The 8 Impact to recycle sports shoes and sneakers using EPR feedstock. This has demon- strated that closed-loop recycling for these archetypes is technically possi- ble, according to the report. Goals of Closing the Footwear Loop are:
l Mapping European post-consumer footwear waste streams: to gain a clear understanding of the current state of footwear waste. This will involve a detailed analysis of waste volumes, material composition in the waste flows, and the proportions of rewear- able versus non-rewearable items. l Developing circular design principles: to establish a comprehensive roadmap for circular footwear design, including the development of guidelines and criteria for circular and safe inputs and materials, recyclability, durability and repairability (developed with Fashion for Good Alumni
circular.fashion). l Scouting and validation of end-of- use innovations: to validate promising technologies and business models for the end-of-life of footwear. This will include conducting trials and impact assessments to identify scalable solutions and overcome current bottlenecks. l Sharing of best practices: Participat- ing brands will share learnings and best practices related to their own circularity initiatives, contributing to a
Textiles Loop • Autumn 2026 27
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34
