12 • Footwear Insight ~ March/April 2025 footwearinsight.com
By Emily Walzer
I
n recent years, "Keeping Shoes Alive"
has emerged as a rallying cry within
the footwear industry. Eco-minded
businesses in particular have embraced
the idea that product longevity is key to sus-
tainability giving shape to new initiatives and
updated strategies devoted to making shoes
wearable longer. Repair services, take back
programs and pilot stage recycling efforts
are ways that brands, retailers and material
suppliers are taking steps to close the loop
and advance footwear circularity.
Strides are being made, yet challenges
abound especially in today's world of industry
overproduction and consumer overcon-
sumption. According to market research,
300 million pairs of shoes are thrown away
annually in the United States and traditional
shoe repair businesses are in decline; approx-
imately 3,000 shoe repair businesses exist in
the U.S. currently.
On the other hand, the repair/reuse ethos
resonates with Gen Z and younger demo-
graphics who are savvy social media users
appreciative of online resources to connect
with cobblers, retail repair services and
resale platforms.
"It's a paradigm shi to get people to change
REPAIR,
REPURPOSE,
RECYCLE
Material Innovation / Circularity
EXTENDING THE LIFE OF FOOTWEAR SUSTAINABLY, STEP BY STEP.
Dardano's Shoes is a fourth generation family business.
Shown here: Ryan and Joe Dardano in the shop's Repair Center.
Danner Leaf boots are designed to be Recraftable.
