Zalando and Decathlon join in backing footwear recycling programme

Zalando and Decathlon have linked with Groupe Eram, and Revalorem to back the launch of a programme to recycle the soles of shoes at the French technology centre, Cetia.

The group, together with France’s Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, are investing one million euros to help accelerate the creation of the programme, which is also open to other brands and industrialists that want to join.

Its launch comes six months after Cetia debuted its shoe sole recycling initiative, with this new ‘Reshoes’ programme further building on the centre’s efforts.

"Footwear has been the poor relative of recycling in Europe, as the technical barriers are very complex to overcome,” said Chloé Salmon Legagneur, director of Cetia, in a release.

Legagneur continued: “It's great news that such emblematic players are working together to lift the technological barriers and thus transform their industry. We are proud to have been able to bring them together in Reshoes.”

In March 2023, the Reshoes technology transfer programme is set to inaugurate its first 100 percent automated line, spanning material detection to the removal of shoes, followed by sorting and material preparation that will result in recycling-ready deposits.

According to Cetia’s release, 1,000 shoes and soles will be processed each day through the industrial pilot, which will test the feasibility of the process ahead of its large-scale deployment.