It ain't fashion, if it ain't sustainable

Sneakers

Footwear Innovation / Industry Scan

23 January 2024

4 minutes

Footwear is particularly problematic. Unlike a basic T-shirt, which might consist of a single material such as 100 percent polyester, a sneaker or running shoe can be made of as many as 65 materials and components.

Sneakers and Sportswear Still Dragging Their Feet on Sustainability

Sportswear, athleisure and sneakers are big business. But they depend on fossil fuel-based materials, and recycling them is particularly tricky.

By

Alexandra Sherlock
Rebecca Van Amber

Analysis

Young India Fashion Survey 2025

Textile Recycling Expo

ITF Intertex Portugal 2025

Most Popular

Tariffs and Seconds / SMART View Interview

If unfair trade barriers persist, there's the risk of seeing mountains of usable clothing pile up in the US, while markets abroad fill the gap with cheap, low-quality fast fashion that often results in more waste, not less. Keeping the second-hand clothing trade flowing freely is in everyone’s best interest: economically, socially, and environmentally. This is a moment to build smarter, fairer, and more circular global systems, not to shut them down.

Trade Barriers on Second-Hand Clothing Disrupt a Globally Significant Reverse Supply Chain

Subir Ghosh

24 April 2025

Tariff Impact / Luxury Fashion Commentary

For decades, luxury brands have relied on well-established international supply chains and global consumer bases, allowing them to maintain the coveted image of timelessness and prosperity.

The Price of Prestige: How Trump’s Tariff War Is Rattling the Luxury Fashion World

Richa Bansal

22 April 2025