Solving Footwear Wastage, One Sole At A Time

Our feet are the foundation of our everyday life. We spend most of our lives in shoes. But do you know that from production through end-of-life, shoes have a big impact on our environment? Some reports even suggest that the footwear industry globally is responsible for 1.4 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions. One pair of sneakers generate enough carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to keep a 100-watt light bulb on for a week. But at Greensole, things are being done a little differently. Founded by Shriyans Bhandari and Ramesh Dhami, Greensole recycles discarded shoes into comfortable footwear and keeps them from ending up in landfills.

Shriyans and Ramesh are both athletes who ran hundreds of kilometers every year. Soon they realized they are throwing out three to four pairs of shoes due to wear and tear. That is when the duo thought about the unaddressed problem of footwear waste and how many shoes were going to landfills. Talking about their initiative, Shriyans said,

The old shoes are made of multiple materials. These are not single materials that will decompose right away. They are made of plastic and rubber. It is estimated that 60 parts go into the making of a shoe. It's a complex process. These things ultimately end up in landfills. The shoes lie in the landfills for hundreds of years and they don't decompose. They are also incinerated so harmful to the environment. So, the only way we have is that a company should make good footwear, using a single-material and which is good for the environment. We started thinking about how can discarded shoes be used and that's where the idea of Greensole came about where we started reusing our old pair of shoes. From recycling that one pair of shoes, we have reached about five lakh recycled pairs now. Old shoes were made into slippers and given to people in need.

With the aim to make an eco-friendly and more sustainable brand, Shriyans and Ramesh launched Greensole in 2015. While they started by recycling old shoes for corporates and under various corporate CSR (corporate social responsibility) programmes, today they get discarded shoes from schools, societies and individuals.

Usually, we receive 10,000 pairs of shoes every month. And in a year we receive two to three lakh pairs of shoes. These are all upcycled in a manufacturing unit, said Shriyans.

While footwear is a common sight in urban areas, mostly taken for granted, there are many across the globe who cannot afford shoes. A World Health Organisation (WHO) report says 1.5 billion people get infected by diseases because of a lack of proper footwear. This is where the conscience kicks in. Most of the upcycled shoes are sent to rural areas to meet the needs there.

Talking about their work, Shriyans said,

We recycle old shoes which are good for the environment. We are donating them to children in need because of the social good and we also employ people who are in need of jobs and create skill empowerment. So, we are doing social good, environmental good and economic good. Till now we have donated more than half a million pairs of slippers and a goal is to reach 10 lakh in the next two to three years. So, it's mainly shoes and apparel which is made into slippers, bags, mats, and different kinds of kits. So, a child gets a pair of footwear from which they can walk to school. They also get a bag. So it's not just about giving them essentials but also giving them products which are good for the environment.

Greensole has collection points across various cities in India. The discarded shoes go through a rigorous process to get a new life. Shriyans explained,

We receive a lot of old shoes and apparel. We have a process to sort them out. And once we receive the old shoes, we cut the insole out of them. We have a process for each kind of shoe, whatever we receive with the help of Ram exports we are able to make it into standardised slippers, and it's just not the sole of the slippers that we use. From different parts of the shoe, we are able to cut the upper part, also the laces. So, by using 80 per cent of the discarded shoe we are able to make a pair of slippers which is brand-new and a person can wear them to school and to different places.

While streetwear brands accelerate the pace of fast fashion, there are individuals who understand the impact this has on the environment and are trying to do their bit. Greesole has also received a great response from the consumers for the environmental and social change their brand brings to the table.

Ultimately, we have to make an effort, the government has to make an effort, and the companies need to take an effort. Only when we take a joint effort will we be able to do good for society and the environment. I see a lot of positive impacts and it will continue, Shriyans said.

You too can get an old pair of shoes recycled and give them a new life. Collective efforts can go a long way to help the environment by reducing waste and at the same time bridge the gap between urban and rural.

To join hands with Greensole, log on to their website and donate your old shoes. Appealing people to join the movement, Shriyans said,

One shoe can make a huge difference in the life of a person and also the environment.