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Fashion for Good launches new project to advance footwear circularity

Oct 8, 2025 Netherlands

The Amsterdam-based innovation platform has launched “The Next Stride: Bio-Based Materials for Footwear Soles”, a collaborative project aimed at replacing fossil-derived materials in shoe soles

In partnership with adidas, Target, and Zalando, as well as leading material innovators Algenesis Labs, Balena, Evoco, Kuori and Yulex, the 12-month targeted initiative will test and validate bio-based polymers as high-performance alternatives to fossil fuel-derived materials, which currently dominate footwear production. The focus will be on the sole.

As soles are primarily made from fossil fuel-based polymers such as PU, TPU, EVA and rubber, accounting for at least 40% of the total mass of the shoe, they are a crucial driver of the product’s overall environmental footprint. According to Fashion For Good, this highlights the importance of rethinking the sole in order to reduce the industry’s environmental impact.

“The Next Stride is a critical, collaborative intervention to de-risk the widespread adoption of high-performance bio-based alternatives for footwear soles. By transforming the very foundation of the shoe, we address the most impactful component in its lifecycle and open the door to systemic change in the footwear industry”, commented Katrin Ley, Managing Director at Fashion for Good.

The collaborative development of the solutions will also be validated by the external authority SATRA and is designed to reduce the risk associated with adopting new materials.

Gudrun Messias, adidas’ Director of Sustainability, believes that sustainability and performance can go hand in hand. “Through The Next Stride, we will work with innovators to explore if bio-based materials can potentially lower the environmental impact of footwear soles while at the same time meeting or even enhancing the high-performance standards our athletes and consumers expect from adidas products”.

The project’s findings are expected to be instrumental in creating a comprehensive roadmap for the industry-wide implementation of these solutions. The roadmap will detail the necessary steps for widespread implementation and address considerations such as impact accounting, feedstock availability and end-of-use solutions.

“As we have recently confirmed in our sustainability attitude-behaviour gap report, It Takes Many, consumers aspire for more sustainable choices. We believe innovation in materials is key to meeting that demand. The Next Stride brings together the right partners to reimagine the sole, the foundation of every shoe, and set new benchmarks for the industry”, said Pascal Brun, VP of Sustainability and D&I at Zalando.

Source and Image Credits: fashionforgood.com

Innovation Netherlands adidas Fashion for Good Footwear Footwear Components Sustainability Zalando