Sustainability doesn’t have to be a high-cost endeavor for footwear brands. That’s the message the Footwear Collective and recycled leather manufacturer Gen Phoenix are teaming up to spread. In fact, they say, using recycled materials can be as good for the bottom line as it is for Earth.
“Integrating recycled leather materials into production can create both immediate and long-term business value,” says Elyse Winer (below), chief marketing officer for U.K.-based Gen Phoenix. “By reducing reliance on virgin raw materials, companies can lower exposure to price volatility, improve material yield efficiency, and reduce waste disposal costs.”
What’s more, while green hushing might be trending, plenty of investors and consumers still want to see quantifiable progress on sustainability from brands, she says. That means “companies that successfully integrate recycled materials into core production are positioning themselves for greater resilience and stronger brand equity in the future,” according to Winer.
Unfortunately, footwear is more vulnerable to material inefficiency than apparel because manufacturing it often involves “dozens of components, multiple suppliers, and highly specific material performance requirements,” Winer continues. Leather shoes and boots are especially prone to waste because so much of the hide can be lost during cutting and shaping. By some estimates, footwear companies lose up to 80 percent of leather input, according to Gen Phoenix.
Historically that waste might have been inevitable, but today “it represents a growing financial and operational challenge as raw material costs rise, regulations evolve, and brands face increasing pressure to improve resource efficiency and meet the demands of an increasingly environmentally savvy customer-base,” says Winer.
From Ideas to Action
That’s where The Footwear Collective comes in. The group’s mission is to unify the industry in pushing for sensible circularity.
“There are many different actors across the value chain working on circular solutions, from material innovators to manufacturers, brands, recyclers, and technology providers,” says Yuly Fuentes-Medel (right), founder of the nonprofit based in Cambridge, Ma. The challenge, however, is bringing them all together.
“To build the business case and create the market conditions needed for innovation to scale, we need stronger collaboration across the industry,” Fuentes-Medel explains. “Without aligned demand, shared infrastructure, and sufficient volumes, it is difficult for individual actors to invest in and advance the technologies and systems the industry needs. We bring together footwear brands, suppliers, and innovators to collaborate on practical solutions that can help move circularity from theory into day-to-day action.”
The Footwear Collective counts such powerhouse brands as Brooks, Crocs, Ecco, New Balance, Steve Madden, Vibram, and Vans among its members. The group is also partnering with Gen Phoenix on education and events that bring industry players together to brainstorm on opportunities to improve circularity.
Case Study: Dr. Martens
Since 2023, Gen Phoenix has been helping Dr. Martens turn sustainability into real world success. The recycling specialists and the iconic British bootmaker are turning leather offcuts that would normally end up in a landfill into a durable, price-competitive re-engineered material featured in the brand’s Genix Nappa collection.
The leather is collected during the “wet-blue” tanning process, broken down into fibers, then “re-entangled” to create what is essentially a new cowhide. The entire process is powered by jets that use recycled water.
As a bonus for customers, the material is softer and more supple than the famous black smooth leathers, meaning a shorter break-in period.
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