Shoe Recycling or Shoe Donation?
Should I donate shoes or recycle them? That’s a question we get quite often at Nike Reuse-A-Shoe – especially since there are so many options out there where you can donate your kicks. So, which should you do with your old sneakers? We’ve put together a short guide to help you decide.
How are shoe donation and shoe recycling different?
Both continue the life of the kicks you don’t want to keep, but shoe recycling and shoe donation are different. When you donate shoes to a charity, you’re sending your old trainers off to continue their useful life on someone else’s feet.
Some charities resell donated shoes and clothing to generate funding for their causes. Others collect shoes for kids’ programs or runners who can’t afford them, or send donated shoes to developing countries or areas recovering from a catastrophe like a hurricane or earthquake.
But all shoes (and products in general) eventually come to the end of their useful and safe life – which is why it’s important to only donate shoes that are still wearable and safe. In fact, many of the shoes donated to charity are not actually reused, but instead thrown away because they are too near the finish line.
That’s where we come in. Nike Reuse-A-Shoe isn’t a shoe donation program; it’s a recycling program for sports shoes – just like you have for cans, bottles or newspapers. That means once your shoes have reached the end, we grind them up and process them into a new raw material we call Nike Grind.
Which is better for your old kicks?
Well, it depends on whether they’re still fit for wear. Here’s how to tell:
Recycle your shoes if…
- They’re full of holes or are just too trashed to wear.
- The soles are worn out or the tread is gone.
- If the cushioning looks crinkled or rippled, or if it lacks support.
Donate your shoes if…
- Your kicks still have plenty of life in them.
- You got a pair that just doesn’t fit or feel right.
- They’re still in good shape, but are out of style.
Because our facilities and infrastructure are all created to design, manufacture and sell shoes, Nike is not equipped to manage a shoe donation project. That’s why we leave sneaker donation to the organizations that do it best and focus just on recycling your old kicks.
Whether you recycle or donate your old shoes, remember: either way, you’re extending the life of your old trainers – and keeping them out of the trashcan. Learn more about how Nike Reuse-A-Shoe's recycling program works.
