sportstyle

28 • March/April 2025 sportstyle • sportstylemag.com custom-built 20 years ago, employs seven full-time cobblers. "Our team is a blend of experienced crasmen, some with 30+ years of expertise, and a new generation of skilled professionals keeping the tradition alive," comments the exec. Dardano has seen growing awareness of repair and renewal as part of a sustainable lifestyle. "Many customers appreciate the environmental impact of reducing waste, while others value the crasmanship and tradition of maintaining quality footwear rather than replacing it." As footwear construction has evolved, so has Dardano's approach; services specialize in stretching, shining, sewing and orthopedic modifications to extend the life of customers' shoes. Mark Tingley, Recraing Supervisor at outdoor footwear brand Danner, states, "For anyone purchasing a new item with respon- sibility to the environment in mind, having the ability to repair it should be a must." Since Recraing's start in 2012 Danner has main- tained a quick turnaround year-round, sending back most repaired boots within two to three weeks. In 2023 the company launched a web tool that confirms if a customer's boot is Recraable, and helps improve and automate repair processing. "Our next step moving forward is to expand the service globally by working with international partners in Canada and Europe," says Tingley. Recraable product at a lower price point was introduced with the Mountain 600 Leaf and offerings are continuing to expand. Durability Matters Footwear brand NNormal recently pub- lished a study that determines how many kilometers a pair of its Kjerag shoes can last, with the understanding that durability is essen- tial to lowering the environmental impacts of the trail running industry. Based on a sample of 511 runners of all levels, NNormal's Kjerag should last 1,350 kilometers before being completely worn out or before concluding their lifecycle. "Our data-driven approach introduces a new way of thinking about footwear impact by shiing the focus from total carbon emis- sions per pair to emissions per kilometer. By calculating distance x product lifespan, we create a tangible metric that helps in de- signing performance shoes with minimized carbon footprints over time. is approach not only informs our design choices but also sends a question to the industry to rethink how durability should be measured in the context of sustainability," states Sito Salas, CEO, NNormal. e Durability Scale works by analyzing wear patterns across a sample of many run- ners of different levels and backgrounds. "By prioritizing durability, we ensure that our "Local shoe repair shops are increasingly rare, yet the demand for quality shoe repair continues." DILLON DARDANO, DARDANO'S SHOES "By prioritizing durability, we ensure that our products stay in use for as long as possible, reducing waste and consumption while we work towards a truly circular future." SITO SALAS, NNORMAL 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. MATERIALS

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