With the launch of its Gel-Lyte III CM 1.95 trainer, Asics has unveiled a sneaker with the world’s lowest carbon footprint. As the name suggests, the shoe emits 1.95kg CO2e across its lifecycle. This is significantly less than the lowest CO2e sneakers currently available on the market, based on available industry data for emissions as of Sep. 2022.
The technological advancement is the result of over ten years of research and development, beginning in 2010 when Asics partnered with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to more accurately measure the CO2e impact across the life cycle of a product. As such, Asics has been able to make hundreds of incremental gains across four key stages of the product life cycle – materials and manufacturing, transportation, use, and end-of-life – identifying small differences that combine to make a big impact. These include a fusion of bio-based polymers partly derived from sugarcane, innovations to reduce material usage, and utilizing 100 percent renewable energy throughout the manufacturing phase.
The Japanese-based company has the long-term ambition of achieving net-zero emissions as a business by 2050. Yasuhito Hirota, Asics CEO, said: ”The road ahead may be long, but the Gel-Lyte III CM 1.95 is our latest statement of intent on this journey. We hope it can help inspire real positive change in the sports industry.” The Gel-Lyte III CM 1.95 will roll out globally in fall 2023.
