Teva’s iconic strappy sandals are getting a sustainable makeover.
Last week, the footwear brand announced that it would be using 100 percent recycled plastics in 70 percent of its straps across its spring 2020 collection. The products will feature straps made from Repreve yarns sourced from traceable, verifiable post-consumer plastics, as opposed to virgin polyester.
The material shift will represent a significant diversion of plastics from a landfill fate, the company said, claiming that more than 9 million plastic bottles—equivalent to 172 tons of plastic—would be used in the company’s collections throughout 2020 alone.
The use of recycled plastics keeps waste from polluting waterways, emits fewer greenhouse gases during the production process, and conserves water and energy compared with new polyesters, the company said.
The Strap Into Freedom marketing campaign celebrates the company’s newest sustainable initiative, and will launch in tandem with the release of new versions of Teva’s heritage sandal silhouettes, the Original Dorado and the Original Universal.
“We are thrilled to make these fundamental product advancements at Teva,” Suzanne Moore, the company’s product director, told Sourcing Journal.
“We are constantly exploring new sustainable materials and innovations both in our products and throughout our supply chain,” she added. “As a brand rooted in the outdoors, we have a sincere desire and an obligation to create product that minimizes our environmental impact so that future generations are free to explore the wild world around them.”
Teva, which has made moves over the years to reduce waste in its supply chain and decrease its carbon footprint through sustainable packaging, is “committed to creating product with higher social and environmental standards,” general manager Anders Bergstrom said in a statement.
“We believe we have an obligation to do our part in creating product that is mindful of the environment and this is only the beginning,” he said. “We have a long road ahead, but are dedicated to creating a sustainable footprint.”
According to Bergstrom, Teva will continue to seek sustainable and ethical alternatives for all of its key materials—from plastics to foams, leathers and components.
The company currently sources its leathers from Leather Working Group-certified tanneries, and supports the Better Cotton Initiative, a nonprofit that pushes for higher standards in cotton farming and practices in 21 countries across the globe.