Asics has launched two new models of running shoe with a difference for 2021.
Instead of burning through new materials to manufacture its latest footwear offerings, Asics has opted for recycling discarded clothing as a planet-saving alternative.
The Sunrise Reborn range includes new versions of the MetaRide and Gel-Quantum 360 TYO shoes, entirely constructed with old clothes collected in Japan.
Waste polyester is processed and then solution-dyed, a method that involves adding pigment before the material is made into filaments, which uses up to 80 per cent less water than traditional dyeing techniques.
For its ‘reborn’ models, Asics used the same technology as it did for the (now postponed) Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The MetaRide is built for long distances, with thick Flytefoam Propel cushioning technology for shock absorption and bounce, which also works to reduce ankle flexion; while the Gel-Quantum 360 more a cross between a technical and fashion shoe with 360-degree gel cushioning around the midfoot. Both models have flexible, breathable and lightweight uppers made from engineered mesh with a no-sew design.
With sportswear relying on synthetic materials for its fabrics and designs in order to perform, the industry is a big culprit of producing non-biodegradable waste.
Asics joins the increasing number of major activewear labels making efforts to reduce their environmental impact by looking for alternative sources for materials.
Brands are now looking to plastic bottles, fishing nets and rubbish collected from the ocean, bamboo and other vegetation, or even coffee as viable content for their products.
That’s not to say the products perform any lower; high-tech features such as moisture-wicking, quick-dry fabrics and performance-enhancing fits are in no way sacrificed by their sustainable construction.
