Lucy Siegle looks at ethical alternatives to throwing your trainers away | Environment

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Lucy Siegle looks into the alternative steps you can take to put some soul into your soles</p> </div> <ul id="content-actions" class="strapped"> <li> <div class="pluck-init-block" id="comment-info-related"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/aug/23/repair-trainers-ethical-living?commentpage=1" class="comment-count-info comment-icon">Comments (<span class="comment-count">…</span>)</a> </div> </li> <li class="third-party-tool "> <a id="buzzlink" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://uk.buzz.yahoo.com/buzz?publisherurn=the_guardian665&targetUrl=http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/aug/23/repair-trainers-ethical-living&summary=%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ELucy+Siegle%3C%2Fstrong%3E+looks+into+the+alternative+steps+you+can+take+to+put+some+soul+into+your+soles%3C%2Fp%3E&headline=Lucy Siegle looks at ethical alternatives to throwing your trainers away |Environment |The Observer">Buzz up!</a> </li> <li class="third-party-tool"> <a id="digglink" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://digg.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.guardian.co.uk%2Fenvironment%2F2009%2Faug%2F23%2Frepair-trainers-ethical-living&title=Lucy+Siegle+looks+at+ethical+alternatives+to+throwing+your+trainers+away">Digg it</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div id="content"> <ul class="article-attributes multi-pub"> <li class="byline"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/lucysiegle" name="&lid={contentTypeByline}{Lucy Siegle}&lpos={contentTypeByline}{1}">Lucy Siegle</a> </li> <li class="publication"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://observer.guardian.co.uk/" name="&lid={contentTypeByline}{The Observer}&lpos={contentTypeByline}{2}">The Observer</a>, Sunday 23 August 2009 </li> </ul> <div id="article-wrapper"> <div class="image"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/2/17/1234874572435/cameronshoes.jpg" width="460" height="276" alt="David Cameron's green trainers"/> <p class="caption">Worn Again's trainers are made from recycled materials and - in this photo - modelled by David Cameron</p> </div> <p>The trainer remains the number-one fashion poster child of globalisation, a homogenised mass-culture product that's beloved of cultural commentators. Well, I don't wish to give the world's favourite shoe a kicking, but for ethical warriors they've proved to be a massive headache - there is not only the environmental impact, but also the endless debates over the ethics of the planet's biggest athletic-shoe manufacturers' use of outsourced cheap labour in some of the world's poorest countries. </p><p>Like so many of us, you're caught in between. You assimilate by wearing trainers, possibly for sport, but you can't see why their lifespan can't be elongated, saving the resources needed to make a new pair and saving the old ones from being dumped in <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/landfill">landfill</a>. Due to the absence of statistics on the number of trainers that go to landfill I'm resorting to observation: whenever I visit a landfill site (and I do this from time to time) I'm amazed by the amount of trainers and football boots you can see. And in landfill a traditional ethylene vinyl acetate (Eva) trainer midsole can last up to 1,000 years. </p><p>Most trainer manufacturers have a "sustainable" offering in more holistic materials, including recycled plastic and even a bit of hemp. The Nike Trash Talk shoe uses scrap-ground foam from factory production. Then there are the brands such as Worn Again claiming an ethical production process and making shoes for disassembly. In terms of recycling schemes, there are those one-off projects that collect training shoes for "poor communities", although I always worry whether any poor community can actually use a pair of sweat-sodden old shoes. Adidas, meanwhile, tells me that its recycling programme is currently just for staff in the UK. Against not much competition, Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe has the biggest eco kudos in trainer land. Collected trainers (there are now banks in UK outlets) are remanufactured into resin for sports courts, branded Nike Grind. </p><p>And I should brand my quest to provide a real answer to your question the Trudge. Because while all these trainer initiatives make up parts of a sustainable loop, none manages to get over the hurdle that trainers are champions of planned obsolescence. They are also designed for mass production, so the sole units are usually injection moulded rather than made from sheet soling that can be replaced when the original has worn out. </p><p>The Society of Master Shoe Repairers asked some of their members on your behalf if trainers can be resoled. Many have tried, including David, who even invested in a "special cup press with individual sizes, tested for the correct solution and the full range of thru soles to match", only to find that fickle consumers would rather just buy a new pair. Some, however, will repair limited tread and colour patterns, so you should save any remaining tread to try all your local shoe menders before you think "Cobblers to this" and a buy a low-impact new pair.</p><p><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/mailto:lucy.siegle@observer.co.uk">lucy.siegle@observer.co.uk</a></p> </div> </div> <div id="related"> <ul id="article-toolbox-side"> <li class="printable"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/aug/23/repair-trainers-ethical-living/print" rel="nofollow" id="printlink" class="printable rollover" title="Link to a printer-friendly version" name="&lid={pageToolbox}{Printer-friendly version}&lpos={pageToolbox}{1}"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/static/78454/common/images/icon_print.gif" alt="Print this" class="trail-icon"/><span>Printable version</span></a></li> <li><a class="rollover sendlink" 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first"> <div class="capsule sponsored-features"> <ul class="trail trailblock tri"> <li class="normal first "> <div class="trail-caption"> <div class="linktext"> Contact the Environment editor<br><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/mailto:environment@guardian.co.uk">environment@guardian.co.uk</a> </div> <div class="trailtext"> </div> </div> </li> </ul> </div> <ul> <li> Report errors or inaccuracies: <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/mailto:reader@observer.co.uk">reader@observer.co.uk</a> </li> <li> Letters for publication should be sent to: <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/mailto:letters@observer.co.uk">letters@observer.co.uk</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="col"> <ul> <li> If you need help using the site: <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/mailto:userhelp@guardian.co.uk">userhelp@guardian.co.uk</a> </li> <li> Call the main Guardian and Observer switchboard: <br/><span>+44 (0)20 3353 2000</span> </li> <li> <ul> <li> <a 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<ol><li><p>Loading …</p></li></ol> </div> <div class="meta javascript-on"> <p class="more-on"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://technorati.com/publications/www.guardian.co.uk%2F?roundup" name="&lid={technorati/networkFrontMostBlogged}{More}&lpos={technorati/networkFrontMostBlogged}{1}">More</a></p> <p class="technorati"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://technorati.com/" name="&lid={technorati/networkFrontMostBlogged}{Technorati most blogged}&lpos={technorati/networkFrontMostBlogged}{2}">Today's rising blog posts from <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/static/78454/common/styles/wide/images/powered-by-technorati.gif" width="76" height="13" alt="Technorati"></a></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="sponsored-features" class="capsule sponsored-features commercial"> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ function showSponsoredFeatures() { var sponsoredFeatureComponent = 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class="active">UK</a> </li> <li id="global-jobs-2-link"> <a href="#global-jobs-2" class="inactive">USA</a> </li> </ul> <div class="pane-wrapper"> <div id="global-jobs-1" class="global-jobs-pane tab-toggle-pane"> <h3 class="js-hider">UK</h3> <div class="capsule jobsbox"> <form action="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://jobs.guardian.co.uk/searchjobs/" onsubmit="return doSearchAllSubmitUK( this );"> <fieldset> <input type="text" class="text plain-search" id="freetext-searchalljobs" name="freetext" value="Search all environment jobs" onfocus="this.value='';"/> <input type="hidden" name="csr" value="environment"/> <input type="hidden" name="keyword" id="keyword-searchalljobs" value=""/> <input type="submit" class="submit" name="go" value="Go"/> <input type="hidden" name="gusrc" value="gu_jobs_box_Environment"/> <input type="hidden" name="link" value="Environment_jbx_go"/> <input type="hidden" name="industry" value="141"/> </fieldset> </form> <p class="find-a-job"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://jobs.guardian.co.uk/jobs/environment?gusrc=gu_jobs_box_Environment&link=Environment_jbx_brsesec" name="&lid={jobsBox}{Browse environment jobs}&lpos={jobsBox}{1}">Browse environment jobs</a> </p> <ul class="jobs"> <li class="odd"><h4> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://jobs.guardian.co.uk/job/900521/design-review-officer-schools?RSSSearch=0&gusrc=gu_jobs_box_Environment&link=Environment_jbx_vac" name="&lid={jobsBox}{Design review officer (schools)|Environment}&lpos={jobsBox}{2}">Design review officer (schools)</a></h4> <p><span class="employer">cabe.</span></p> <p><span class="location">london wc2b 4an.</span></p> <p><span class="wage">£26,591 per annum plus benefits.</span></p> </li> <li><h4> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://jobs.guardian.co.uk/job/901115/4-liaison-officers?RSSSearch=0&gusrc=gu_jobs_box_Environment&link=Environment_jbx_vac" name="&lid={jobsBox}{4 Liaison Officers|Environment}&lpos={jobsBox}{3}">4 Liaison Officers</a></h4> <p><span class="employer">yorkshire and humber seafood group.</span></p> <p><span class="location">hull.</span></p> <p><span class="wage">£20,000 - £23,000 pro rata. Full time, part time/job share considered..</span></p> </li> <li class="odd"><h4> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://jobs.guardian.co.uk/job/901286/climate-change-and-sea-project-officer?RSSSearch=0&gusrc=gu_jobs_box_Environment&link=Environment_jbx_vac" name="&lid={jobsBox}{Climate Change and SEA Project Officer|Environment}&lpos={jobsBox}{4}">Climate Change and SEA Project Officer</a></h4> <p><span class="employer">hertfordshire county council.</span></p> <p><span class="location">hertford.</span></p> <p><span class="wage">£24,952 - £39,125 pa incl.</span></p> </li> </ul> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ function doSearchAllSubmitUK( form ) { var jobsSectionToSearch = 'environment'; var freeText = 'environment'; var searchTextField = document.getElementById( 'freetext-searchalljobs' ); var keywordElem = document.getElementById( 'keyword-searchalljobs' ); var isSectionSearch = function() { return jobsSectionToSearch != ''; } var textIsModified = 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id="freetext-searchalljobs" name="q" value="Search all environment jobs" onfocus="this.value='';"/> <input type="hidden" name="csr" value="environment"/> <input type="hidden" name="keyword" id="keyword-searchalljobs" value=""/> <input type="submit" class="submit" name="go" value="Go"/> <input type="hidden" name="gusrc" value="gu_jobs_box_Environment"/> <input type="hidden" name="link" value="Environment_jbx_go"/> <input type="hidden" name="industry" value="141"/> </fieldset> </form> <p class="find-a-job"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://jobs.guardian.co.uk/jobs/environment?gusrc=gu_jobs_box_Environment&link=Environment_jbx_brsesec" name="&lid={jobsBox}{Browse environment jobs}&lpos={jobsBox}{1}">Browse environment jobs</a> </p> <textarea id="jobs-box-usa-textarea" style="display:none;"> {for result in results} <li> <h4> <a href="${result.url}">${result.jobtitle}</a> </h4> <p> <span class="description">${ result.snippet }</span> <span class="location">${ result.state }</span> </p> </li> {/for} </textarea> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ var userip = '67.202.59.141'; var country = 'usa'; var isUSA = (country.toLowerCase() == 'usa') ? true : false; var jobsBoxView = new guardian.r2.JobsBoxView('jobs-box-usa', 'jobs-box-usa-textarea'); var jobsBoxService = new guardian.r2.JobsBoxService('%22Environment%22', userip); /* category, location */ var jobsBoxController = new guardian.r2.JobsBoxController(jobsBoxView, jobsBoxService, isUSA); //view, service, locationIsUSA //]]> </script> <ul id="jobs-box-usa" class="jobs"> <li class="javascript-on">Loading jobs...</li> </ul> <p class="attribution javascript-on"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://www.indeed.com/">jobs</a> by <a title="Job Search" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://www.indeed.com/"><img alt="Indeed job search" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715im_/http://static.guim.co.uk/static/78454/common/images/icon_usjobs.gif" width="54" height="19"/></a></p> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ function doSearchAllSubmitUSA( form ) { var jobsSectionToSearch = 'environment'; var freeText = 'environment'; var searchTextField = document.getElementById( 'freetext-searchalljobs' ); var keywordElem = document.getElementById( 'keyword-searchalljobs' ); var isSectionSearch = function() { return jobsSectionToSearch != ''; } var textIsModified = function() { if( isSectionSearch() ) { return ( searchTextField.value != 'Search all ' + freeText + ' jobs' ); } return ( searchTextField.value != 'Search all jobs' ); } if( !textIsModified() ) { keywordElem.value = ''; if( isSectionSearch() ) { form.action = 'http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://www.guardianjobs.com'; return true; } form.action = 'http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://www.guardianjobs.com'; return true; } keywordElem.value = searchTextField.value; if (isExternalSystemOn("hbx")) { _hbLink( '{jobsbox-searchalljobs}', '{jobsbox-searchalljobs}{1}' ); } return true; } //]]> </script> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="intrusive"> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ if(isExternalSystemOn("displayads")) { buildIntrusiveAd('http://web.archive.org/web/20090828051715/http://ads.guardian.co.uk', 'broadband', '-850952833', 'ethicalliving', '%2CEthical%2Bliving%2B%28Environment%29%2CLandfill%2B%28environment%29%2CEnvironment%2CLife%2Band%2Bstyle%2C', '%252Fenvironment%252F2009%252Faug%252F23%252Frepair-trainers-ethical-living', 'Environment', 'article', 'false', '1517240'); } //]]> </script> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> google_ad_client = 'ca-guardian_js'; google_ad_channel = 'Environment'; google_max_num_ads = '3'; </script> <div id="google-ads-container" class="environment component capsule advertiser-links" style="display: none;"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ if (isExternalSystemOn("googleadsense")) { 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Lucy Siegle looks at ethical alternatives to throwing your trainers away | Environment | The Observer