The footwear industry has long been grouped with apparel in sustainability research, but a new analysis urges a serious rethink.
- According to the latest findings, footwear manufacturing emits only 1.5 kg of CO₂ per pair, and the total cradle-to-grave carbon footprint stands at 6.7 kg CO₂-eq—a figure far lower than assumed in many past reports.
- The entire sector contributes approximately 0.45% of global emissions, and under 0.3% of total US emissions, says the report—Understanding & Mitigating the Modern Footprint of the Footwear Industry from Manufacturing Energy Use to Total Emissions—by the Footwear Innovation Foundation.
INSIGHTS: One major insight is that most emissions occur during manufacturing and material development, yet factories have already taken major steps toward reducing this impact.
- Data from 54 million pairs of shoes reveal that average electricity use per pair is just 1.17 kWh, with some basic injection-moulded shoes requiring as little as 0.5 kWh. Coal has been almost entirely phased out, and many manufacturers are shifting to renewable energy and waste-reduction programmes.
DISTINGUISHING FOOTWEAR FROM APPAREL:
- Apparel tunnel vision continues to blind researchers and reporters to the distinct science of footwear—sidelining shoes in ways that lead to flawed and incomplete environmental analysis.
- Unlike apparel, footwear factories require specialised energy-intensive processes, such as moulding, adhesives, and high-temperature assembly techniques.
- Textiles account for less than 20% of the total materials used in footwear.
- Footwear production can involve 200+ manufacturing processes.
- Shoes incorporate an average of 60 different materials and components, whereas apparel typically consists of just a few.
BUT MORE PROGRESS IS POSSIBLE. Material innovation is one of the most promising levers: even swapping 10–20% of fossil-based components for renewable or recycled alternatives can cut emissions in half.
- Brands are also exploring plant-based materials, better water management, and more sustainable logistics and shipping.
- A growing concern is post-consumer waste—what happens to footwear at the end of its life. The industry must grapple with how disposal methods, recycling limitations, and landfill accumulation affect long-term sustainability and impact ecosystems.
- Equally pressing are water-related issues, both in the manufacturing process and in how footwear is used and ultimately discarded. These topics are future challenges which deserve the same rigor, transparency, and research that this emissions-focused report represents.
- Meanwhile, consumers have a role to play too—by choosing longer-lasting shoes, donating instead of discarding, and selecting designs made from regenerative, recycled, or bio-based materials.
CALL TO ACTION: Importantly, the report calls for greater footwear-specific research, especially in areas like biodiversity impact, end-of-life pollution, and consumer perception gaps around durability.
- It stresses that outdated apparel-centric models mislead policy and product strategy. “Shoes are more like a Tesla than a T-shirt,” and future policies, practices, and reports must reflect that distinction.
ABOUT: The Footwear Innovation Foundation (FIF) is a scientific non-profit working as an ideas broker, innovation accelerator, and knowledge centre for the future of footwear. It conducts and funds critical research that produces better footwear products, a stronger workforce, and new business models that will benefit consumers and companies in the coming years.
WHAT THEY SAID:
For years, footwear was lumped in with apparel in carbon calculations, masking the real progress we’ve made as well as detailed areas we needed to focus on more. Our industry needed its own data – shoes are more like a car than a T-shirt when it comes to manufacturing complexity and emissions. This first-of-its-kind report challenges long-held assumptions, poor reporting and research, and gives us a clear, updated baseline to build on. Now we know exactly where to focus – from material choices to supply chains – to drive the next wave of sustainability innovation.
— Andy Polk
Executive Director / Lead Author, 2025 Footwear Carbon Report
Footwear Innovation Foundation
