• Linkdin
Maximize your media exposure with Fibre2Fashion's single PR package  |   Know More

German sports firm Puma's Re-Suede launches for biodegradability test

13 Nov '21
3 min read
Pic: Business Wire
Pic: Business Wire

German sports company, Puma, has developed an experimental version of its iconic sneaker, the Suede, to test for a product to make it biodegradable. Puma aims to meet the growing demand for sustainable products. The Re:Suede, uses latest technology and is made from more sustainable materials such as Zeology tanned suede, biodegradable TPE, and hemp fibres.

The Re:Suede experiment is a pilot in circularity, and today’s ultimate expression of the next generation Suede, with the ambition to set new standards of sustainability for the iconic shoe. Designed to help address the challenge of waste management in the footwear industry, the Re:Suede experiment will allow Puma to take more responsibility when it comes to tackling the ‘after life’ of its products. The pilot will launch in January 2022, offering 500 selected participants in Germany the chance to join PUMA on its experimental journey towards circularity, the company said in a press release.

In partnership with Puma, participants will wear the Re:Suede’s for six months to test out the durability of a product using biodegradable materials in real life, before sending them back to Puma via a take back infrastructure, designed to move the products to the next step in the experiment.

The sneakers will then be subject to an industrial biodegradation process in a controlled environment at Valor Compostering, owned by Ortessa, a family-run business of waste specialists in the Netherlands. The goal of this step is to determine if Grade A compost can be produced for agricultural use. The findings will help Puma assess the biodegradable process and unpick essential research and development for the future of sustainable shoe consumption.

The Re:Suede experiment is the first circular programme to launch under Puma’s ‘Circular Lab’, a new innovation hub, which is led by Puma’s sustainability and design experts who work to develop the future of the company’s circularity programmes. The pilot is a recharged, refreshed experiment in circularity, following Puma’s exploration in the space in 2012, which saw the brand’s first attempt to create a biodegradable sneaker as part of its InCycle collection. Yet after four seasons, the sneaker was discontinued due to low demand and the need for further research and development, according to Puma.

“In 2012, our circular ambition was bold but the technology wasn’t quite there. As they say, with every challenge there’s an opportunity - and we’ve continued to push ourselves to do better by applying our strengths as well as acknowledging and improving on our weaknesses. We hope that progress made during the Re:Suede experiment: ‘No Time for Waste‘ will help us continue to raise the bar in circularity testing – enabling our consumers to make better fashion choices in the future, so their sneakers can go ‘from Suede to Soil’, without compromising on product style or durability during ownership,” Heiko Desens, Puma’s creative director said in a statement.

“As a family-owned challenger in the waste industry, we pride ourselves in creating surprising innovations and fresh concepts to tackle real waste issues in a different and open way. There is a lot more we can all be doing to help tackle waste management, but taking on that challenge alone can be a difficult task for any brand. We are delighted to be working in partnership with Puma on this special project, where we can apply our deep knowledge and insights on waste, use tried and controlled methods, to assess the biodegradability of the future, next-generation Suede,” Rob Meulendijks, CEO of Ortessa said.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (GK)

Leave your Comments

Esteemed Clients

TÜYAP IHTISAS FUARLARI A.S.
Tradewind International Servicing
Thermore (Far East) Ltd.
The LYCRA Company Singapore  Pte. Ltd
Thai Trade Center
Thai Acrylic Fibre Company Limited
TEXVALLEY MARKET LIMITED
TESTEX AG, Swiss Textile Testing Institute
Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TSllC Ltd)
Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF)
SUZHOU TUE HI-TECH NONWOVEN MACHINERY CO.,LTD
Stahl Holdings B.V.,
Advanced Search