The 100% Recyclable Running Shoe That’s Only Available by Subscription

Excerpts from the article by Ed Ballard on WSJ

To make a shoe that can be ground up, melted down and reincarnated as another shoe, Swiss sportswear brand On didn’t just need new materials and manufacturing processes. It designed a new sales model.

In June, On began shipping the first 10,000 pairs of its latest model, starting with U.S. customers. The Cloudneo is pitched as “the shoe you will never own.” Instead, runners pay $29.99 a month for an endless supply, provided they return worn-out pairs to be recycled. On executives say this arrangement will lock in a supply of raw material for new shoes, reducing waste.

The apparel industry is under pressure to reduce emissions from new clothes and shrink the pile of products going to landfills. However, the design puzzles and logistical challenges that On encountered creating its recyclable running shoe illustrate how complicated it would be for the entire industry to shift to a circular model, in which old products are reused or recycled.

The Cloudneo is a small launch for On, which is based in Zurich and went public in 2021 as On Holding AG. As of early this year, the company was shipping more than a million pairs of sports shoes a month. It also produces a fast-expanding clothing range. On’s net sales rose 70% in 2021 to 724.6 million Swiss francs, equivalent to about $746 million.

Like most of its industry, On has little influence over what happens to its products after they are thrown away. Caspar Coppetti, one of On’s co-founders, said the Cloudneo is a step toward changing that. He said On eventually wants to bring 90% of its products back for recycling.

“It’s very hard to put a timeline against that, but that’s the ambition,” Mr. Coppetti said. “Before the end of the decade seems to be a realistic target.”

Many brands sell recycled-plastic products. Some, like Patagonia Inc. and Lululemon Athletica Inc., resell refurbished garments. Adidas AG and French brand Salomon have introduced running-shoe models that can be recycled and used in new products.

Continue reading the full article on WSJ