After announcing the Re:Suede experiment in 2021, Puma has now reported back and shown that turning the experimental version of its classic Suede sneaker into compost can be done under certain customized industrial conditions.
Two years ago, Puma produced 500 pairs of the experimental Re:Suede sneaker made from Zeology-tanned suede, a TPE outsole and hemp fibers. The Re:Suedes were worn by volunteers in Germany for six months to test the comfort and durability of the shoes before Puma sent them to a specially equipped industrial composting facility run by its partner Ortessa Group in the Netherlands in spring of 2022.
Special procedure for the composting process
First, the shoes were shredded, mixed with other organic household waste and placed in a composting tunnel. They were then sprayed with nutrient-rich leachate from the previous composting process and naturally heated by the biological activity and controlled air circulation in the tunnel. After about 3.5 months, the materials that were small enough (<10 mm) to fall through a sieve were sold as Grade A compost for agricultural use (within Dutch standards), while the remaining materials were returned to the composting tunnel until they also reached the desired degree of fragmentation (<10 mm). During this process, Ortessa adhered to all legal regulations for compost that apply to its facilities in the Netherlands.
“While the Re:Suede could not be processed under the standard operating procedures for industrial composting, the shoes did eventually turn into compost,” said Anne-Laure Descours, Chief Sourcing Officer at Puma. “We will continue to innovate with our partners to determine the infrastructure and technologies needed to make the process viable for a commercial version of the Re:Suede, including a takeback scheme, in 2024.”
Results will be shared publicly
Puma will publish its findings from the experiment in a detailed report so that other companies and interested parties can learn from the experiment and use the insights gained for their own initiatives.
As a result of feedback from people who have worn the Re:Suede for six months, Puma says it will also improve the comfort of future versions of the shoes by increasing the overall fit by using a new material pattern for the upper and insole.
The Re:Suede experiment was the first program to be launched together with the novel polyester recycling program Re:Fibre as part of Puma’s Circular Lab. This is an innovation center led by the company’s innovation and design experts to shape the future of the company’s circular economy programs.
