Which Are The Eco-Friendliest Running Shoes?

Areas targeted for improvement have included improving packaging via recycled and lighter boxes with soy-based ink, putting fewer materials into a shoe, using less-toxic or less glue, altering manufacturing processes in order to reduce waste, and integrating recycled and biodegradable materials. The three manufacturers who made me the most interested were Nike, Brooks, and a startup called END.

Nike is insanely gigantic, but if it makes even a small positive per-shoe alteration, that translates into a significant change. Its Considered line intends to achieve significant improvements in waste, solvent use, and materials used. Brooks says it has a biodegradable midsole (I infer that this is part of the middle of the sole), has been making them in a less waste-producing way, and has also taken action on the packaging front. END is a new company making shoes with less stuff in them.

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