{"id":1006130,"date":"2021-09-29T04:56:56","date_gmt":"2021-09-29T09:56:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/?p=1006130"},"modified":"2022-09-23T16:29:37","modified_gmt":"2022-09-23T21:29:37","slug":"interview-with-sneaker-impact-and-sustainability-in-the-sneaker-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/interview-with-sneaker-impact-and-sustainability-in-the-sneaker-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"How Sneaker Impact is Sustainably Creating Opportunity for Entrepreneurs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Global warming is a serious problem and sustainability isn’t just a trendy term that brands and companies have been jumping on but it’s truly a way to keep our planet liveable for generations to come. Brands like Nike, adidas, and New Balance have been using different ways to reuse and repurpose materials but that’s only one part of the battle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we spoke to Sneaker Impact, a social enterprise that focuses on recycling your reusable sneakers and keeping them out of landfills where billions of tons are destroyed each year through processes that harm our environment. Instead, the recycled goods are provided to small markets in developing countries to assist those communities in continual economic growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NK: How did Sneaker Impact come to be? What motivated or kickstarted the idea to bring a change in how we dispose of used sneakers?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My family has been in the recycling industry since 1967 and Sneaker Impact was founded based on 30 years of my own personal experience in the textile recycling industry. Throughout my time working in the recycling business, sneakers have always been the most requested item by our clients. So when I wanted to branch out and start a sneaker-specific recycling company, I did a lot of research not only on why there\u2019s such a strong demand for sneakers in less developed countries but also about what people end up doing with their used sneakers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

68% of Americans do not recycle anything, let alone their sneakers. Not because they don\u2019t want to, but because oftentimes they don\u2019t know how, or can\u2019t find an easy and efficient way to.  This is where we\u2019re really proud of the work we do at Sneaker Impact. Our mission is to help spread awareness and encourage more Americans to recycle. Currently, 300 million pairs of used shoes and sneakers end up in landfills every year, and some of those sneakers can take up to 1000 years to decompose! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Sneaker Impact we\u2019re offering everyone an opportunity to very easily recycle their used sneakers, rerouting them from landfills to micro-business merchants in developing countries. These merchants are then able to sell your used sneakers at an affordable price point to someone who wouldn\u2019t have been able to afford or find them otherwise. These sneakers are vehicles for many people in these countries. It\u2019s their transportation to and from work or school. 

The micro-businesses we work with oftentimes refurbish the sneakers if needed as well. Washing, deodorizing, painting, re-lacing, etc. Which in turn creates more jobs for people who may not be able to find one otherwise.

So again, we\u2019re really proud of the ripple effect that our effort creates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n