Mec Europa launches a training academy
Mec Europa Due, an Italian producer of luxury footwear based at Verolanuova, south of the town of Brescia, inaugurated a training academy called l’Accademia delle Arti e dei Mestieri.
First Italian shoemaker obtains VCS sustainability certification
Corrado Maretto is the first Italian company to have obtained an environmental, social and governance (ESG) certification under the VCS (Verified & Certified Steps) program launched by Assocalzaturifici, the Italian footwear association.
Steve’s seeks to raise up to €300,000 in crowd funding
Steve’s, an Italian producer of sustainable premium sneakers, is seeking to raise between €100,000 and €300,000 in a crowdfunding campaign through the Mamacrowd platform.
Agra’s footwear cluster produces 45 tonnes of waste daily
The Indian city of Agra generates 45 tonnes of footwear waste every day, according to the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) which has put forward a string of recommendations to improve waste management especially among informal shoe manufacturers.
Yulex launches a new high performance natural rubber
The US company Yulex launched Yulex2.0, a new high performance natural rubber material proposed as an alternative to neoprene. The product has applications across a range of products including footwear as well as wetsuits, sportswear, sports equipment, sports medicine and accessories.
Second hand reselling enjoys booming popularity in Russia
The Russian fashion market has witnessed a staggering 30 percent surge in the sale of secondhand goods in 2023, a trend that is rapidly gaining momentum, as estimated by the Moscow-based think tank, Fashion Consulting Group.
Italian shoemakers agree on a new labor contract
Assocalzaturifici, which represents the Italian footwear industry, and the trade unions Filctem - CGIL, Femca - Cisl and Uiltec - Uil signed on July 17 a new nationwide collective labor agreement. The contract is effective from Jan. 1, 2024 and will last until Dec. 31, 2026. The previous contract expired ...
Compostable sneakers are inching closer to the mass market
In late April, Puma announced that it would make a commercial version of its Re:Suede 2.0 compostable sneaker. The brand had created 500 pairs of its Re:Suede sneaker in 2021 as an experimental project, then asked volunteers to wear them for half a year to test comfort and durability. Now, ...
Crocs extends its shoe takeback program to whole of continental US
Crocs has extended its “Old Crocs. New Life” shoe takeback program to the whole of continental US. All Crocs retail and outlet locations in the country, excluding Hawaii and Puerto Rico, are now equipped with designated collection boxes to drop off Crocs shoes in any condition.
Cirql launches a fully recyclable midsole made from 30% recycled TPU
The US-based insole specialist OrthoLite, the company behind Cirql, a provider of sustainable material solutions for the global footwear industry, has launched a new midsole foam called Cirql rTPU30. According to Cirql, the patented innovation consists of 30 percent recycled thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material and is manufactured through a chemical-free, ...
