How are shoes made from plastic bottles?
So rather than ending up in landfills, or worse, in the oceans, at SAOLA, we recycle plastic bottles. And since it's not enough to add laces to old plastic bottles (we've already tried, but the comfort isn't ideal), we decided to explain how we get the canvas for our shoes recycled !
1. Sorting plastic
Once they arrive at the recycling center, the bins are sorted, and all the clear plastic bottles are collected! This is an important step because it guarantees the quality and consistency of the recovered plastic.
2. Shredding
This is the stage where all these bottles are cleaned and crushed into small pieces, but really very small, we start again to cut small pieces, even smaller, and always smaller until we obtain a sort of small balls!
3. Melting plastic
All our little bits of bottle are then melted (and we're not talking about Savoyard fondue...), and extracted through small holes, but really tiny... tiny... miniature... until they are transformed into thread. It is this thread that will serve as the basis for weaving the material for our recycled shoes!
4. Spinning
This is where the magic happens, we end up with a 100% recycled fiber, which just needs to be woven to have a second life! And this is where at SAOLA, we use this yarn to create the canvas for our recycled shoes.
And TADAAAAAAAM! Stylish, comfortable, and durable shoes that combine performance with respect for the planet. With SAOLA, every step counts for a greener future.
So, if you're still wondering if recycling is worth it, the answer is a resounding YES. !
So join the movement, together we are walking towards a more sustainable future.
