A new collection of environmentally sustainable footwear and apparel has been launched by ASICS using new circular processes.
The new ‘Earth Day Pack’ is the ASICS brand’s most planet-friendly cross-category collection to date, it says, having been created using a circular manufacturing approach that saw around 5 tonnes of textile waste, the equivalent of 25,000 t-shirts, recycled into new shoes.
The pack includes products from across ASICS running, court, and Sportstyle ranges, including sports and running shoes, as well as a wide range of clothing. And all footwear feature a specially created sunflower icon symbolising the brand’s commitment to preserving the planet for future generations’, ASICS says.
It also says the two arrows in the centre of the emblem denote the brand’s ambition to ‘help build a circular economy’.
By continuing to innovate the manufacturing process across all our product categories, we can help build a circular economy and mitigate the impact of climate change
The Earth Day Pack’s smaller environmental footprint is not just down to the materials, the brand says. The sock-lining of the shoes are developed using a resource-saving technology called solution dyeing that reduces CO2 emissions by around 45% and cuts water use by around 33% compared to conventional dyeing processes.
Yasuhito Hirota, President and COO at ASICS, said: “Since our founding in 1949, ASICS’ purpose has been to help people achieve a sound mind in a sound body. But for that, they need a sound earth to exercise on. That’s why we’re committed to playing our part in building a circular economy that helps reduce CO2 emissions and keep global warming at less than 1.5℃.
“It is said that only 1% of the world’s textile waste is up-cycled while over 70% of apparel ends up in landfill or incinerators. By continuing to innovate the manufacturing process across all our product categories, we can help build a circular economy and mitigate the impact of climate change.”
The Earth Day Pack’s launch follows the release of the Sunrise Reborn Pack earlier this year. Made in part from recycled clothing collected in Japan, it employed the same advanced technology to create a range of upcycled apparel and footwear for the Japan team to wear during an international sporting event.