Shoe Racks Blog

Need a New Year’s Resolution?  Nike Offers Another Type of Shoe Recycling

Almost everybody is getting on board with the environmental movement, including big name athletic shoe maker Nike!  A great way to start the new year off right is to clean out your closets.  Donating what you don’t need anymore is great for your family and it’s also great for thrift store shoppers. 

So, if you are starting spring cleaning early this year, as I am, you may run into a few pairs of running shoes in your shoe rack.  Some shoes can be donated for reuse around the world (see my Holiday post about shoe donating charities) or even sent to the goodwill.  But, some gym shoes are just too warn (a good sign that you are getting your exercise, right?) for use by anyone else.  In this case, resist throwing them in the garbage, where they will pile up with others in landfills for decades to come. 

Nike Grind has been collecting shoes (22 million and counting) for almost twenty years, and the results are amazing.  And no, they don’t have to be Nike brand to be recycled – any brand of athletic shoe is accepted!  Basically the shoe is sliced into three pieces and each piece is used for a different product.  Track surfaces, gym tiles, basketball court cushioning and consumer products like zipper pulls are just some of the many things that your shoes can become in their next life.  It couldn’t be easier to do – there are many dropoff locations around the country and they will handle the shipping for you.  Read up on more of the benefits and details about donating at http://www.nikereuseashoe.com/. 

There are some great products available at StacksAndStacks.com that use recycled products:  Recycled Aluminum Doormats, Recycled Office Organizers, Recycled Plastic Luggage.  Do your closet and the world a favor by having your shoes recycled.