PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
In 2016, the European footwear industry emitted the equivalent of an estimated 10 million tonnes of CO2 and 500 000 tonnes of waste. Approximately a third of the raw materials discarded by shoe manufacturers are polymers that are currently challenging to recycle. At present, producers within the footwear industry do not agree on a quantitative definition of green manufacturing. EU rules are moving towards harmonisation to better inform consumers and protect the environment, but existing tools, notably life-cycle assessments, eco-labels and carbon footprint calculations, are ill-suited to the footwear sector and challenging to implement. With no universal targets, shoe manufacturers struggle to market the green credentials of environmentally sustainable goods. Sector-wide standards based on tangible numbers and clear labelling schemes could help unlock a market for environmentally sustainable footwear, reducing burdens on landfills and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from the sector.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE GreenShoes4All project aimed to set out to provide clear information and accurate measurements on the environmental impact of footwear products, as set out in Commission Directive 2013/179/EU on the use of common methods to measure and communicate the life cycle environmental performance of products and organisations. The project’s objective was to roll out a Product Environmental Footprint methodology to help companies involved in manufacturing shoes to measure the environmental performance of their goods. In line with the roadmap to a resource efficient Europe, the metrics would encompass supply chain activities from the extraction of raw materials and industrial production to product use and waste management.
The project aimed notably to propose more tangible targets on raw materials, plastic waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Improved transparency in these areas could help foster innovative eco-design within the footwear industry, consolidate trust in environmental performance measurements and unlock a market for greener products.
RESULTS
The LIFE GreenShoes4All project team demonstrated, implemented and disseminated a footwear Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology, as well as innovative ecodesign, recycling and manufacturing solutions to obtain shoes with a lower PEF.
Specifically, the project team implementation the PEF methodology by analysing 66 EU representative shoe styles, including variants and eco-designed models, from three categories: open-toed shoes, closed-toed shoes, and boots. The footwear models comprised children’s, fashion, casual, sports, and safety footwear.
The project team developed innovative recycled materials and components, according to relevant industry standards. The wastes generated by the footwear industry with potential for recycling were used (i.e. EVA/ethyl vinyl acetate, TPU/thermoplastic polyurethane, TR/thermoplastic rubber, and SBR/vulcanised rubber) to produce soles, EVA plates, and shoes. Wastes from other sectors, like powdered rubber from the production of tyres, or cork, sugar cane and coconut processing waste, were also used. The optimised formulations, which incorporated between 60-100% of discarded material, enabled the production of high-quality materials with good physical-mechanical properties for use in footwear products.
Prototype footwear models were tested and evaluated in a real-industrial context, involving 15 footwear companies. For 12 models, the project team conducted a comprehensive analysis of PEF, and aspects related to ecodesign, lightweight and recycled materials, and eco-manufacturing.
The project team demonstrated the technical feasibility and the environmental and socio-economic benefits of incorporating lightweight and manufacturing waste materials, which reduced the consumption of resources (raw materials and energy), the amount of waste deposited in landfills, greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the costs of raw materials, manufacturing processes and waste management. The results indicated that the selection of materials with lower impact and the reduction of weight have an important impact on the reduction of footwear environmental impact (between 10% and 30%). The revenues associated with the project’s sustainable solutions largely exceeded the foreseen €200 000.
Furthermore, the project beneficiaries produced PEF & Ecodesign recommendations and guides for the footwear sector to support the development of products, outsoles and footwear with a lower PEF. These will help footwear companies to incorporate the environmental factor in their production processes, while responding to consumers’ responsible consumption and environmental demands.
Some of the resulting footwear products have already been certified and are, or will be soon, placed on the market.
