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It probably won’t surprise you, a runner, a definite wearer of shoes, to learn that the shoe industry is massive (producing 24.2 billion pairs a year, massive). Also unsurprising is that with its size comes a monster amount of waste as consumers continue to buy and wear through pair after pair. The life cycle (from material processing, manufacturing, logistics, and eventual waste) is estimated to create 30 pounds of carbon emissions for each pair of running shoes.
RELATED: The Padded Paradox: The Cost of Cushioned Running Shoes
Running brands aren’t oblivious to the problem. Runners, too, are aware of the environmental impact, but aren’t willing to compromise on the quality of their footwear. In fact, that’s where a lot of the dissonance comes into play. To truly reduce the carbon footprint of the sneaker industry, runners need to be able to rely on fewer, yet more durable…
