Thanks to Ecoalf’s meticulous management of the entire value chain, the company lowered the CO2 equivalents of three of its sneaker models to:
4.51 kg CO2eq
Shao Sneaker
5.53 kg CO2eq
Bora Sneaker
4.58 kg CO2eq
Sia Sneaker
These three sneakers have the lowest CO2 equivalents on the market, and position ECOALF as a leader in the sustainable fashion industry. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted by INESCOPthe prestigious innovation and technology institute in Spain, following the stringent guidelines set by the European Union’s GreenShoes4All project, funded by its LIFE programme.
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE LIFE CYCLE
ASSESSMENT (LCA)
The exhaustive analysis factors in:
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Raw material cultivation, acquisition, transformation, and transportation (for each component of the final product and its packaging).
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Manufacturing processes (energy & water consumption, treatment of residual water & other wastes (including their transportation to dumping sites)
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Distribution (the means of transportation and average distance from the factory to the distribution center, and then to the different points of sale)
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End of life (INESCOP assumed that 60% (of the shoes and packaging) will end up in landfills, 33% will be incinerated, and only 7% recycled)
THE CO2 EQUIVALENTS OF THESE SHOES WERE SO LOW BECAUSE:
The tpr is made from 30% recycled rubber.
The sole is a flexible, lightweight foam made with algae and Eva.
The upper is created with an innovative knitting process to avoid wastage.
Their unique composition mixes algae and recycled polyester made from plastic bottles which were collected from the bottom of the ocean through our Upcycling the Oceans.
Their packaging (and all of our footwear’s packaging) is made from 100% recycled materials, is reusable, and 100% recyclable.
To combat the emissions during the products end of life, we are incorporating a recycling program in our stores.
WHAT IS THE GREENSHOES4ALL PROJECT?
The European Union’s LIFE programme funds environmental and climate action initiatives, such as its project GreenShoes4All. This particular venture has developed a methodology that evaluates different footwear value chains with the intention to locate the “hot spots” that are the most polluting. It then compares this data among different brands to encourage innovative solutions that reduce their impact on the environment, becoming the new sustainable standards for the footwear sector to fight against Greenwashing.
WHO IS INESCOP?
INESCOP s the leading non-profit innovation and technology institute in Spain. It was appointed to conduct the extensive evaluation measures set by the LIFE programme’s GreenShoes4Allproject. With more than 45 years of experience, they are skilled at researching, analyzing, and offering solutions, particularly in the shoe sector.
“Our work as a technological centre is mainly focused on advising and offering tools to companies which allow them to develop products with a lower environmental impact”, Ana Belén Muñoz, Head of the Environment and Sustainability department at INESCOP.INESCOP.
As a Certified B Corporation, we signed the Net Zero 2030 agreement during the COP25 conference in Madrid, committing to a 0 carbon footprint by 2030. As part of this objective, we regularly invest in R&D to develop innovative technology and lower our environmental footprint.
