Other than resoling, here are two more sustainable features to look out for to help reduce the environmental footprint of rock climbing shoes:
Alternative Upper Material: Eco-leather, Vegan leather and Synthetics
Leather that has been tanned by traditional methods involving heavy metals contribute greatly to environmental pollution. Opting for more sustainable materials like vegan or eco-leather can help to reduce this impact. A prime example of an eco-friendly climbing shoe is the La Sportiva Mythos Eco, an environmentally conscious re-edition of La Sportiva’s iconic model. According to the website’s product features, the Mythos Eco model is 95% made of recycled components. The leather used to produce the shoe upper is made of Idro-Perwanger’s ECO biodegradable leather, tanned through a metal-free process. Idro-Perwanger has been certified by OEKO-TEX, the textile and leather industry sustainability standards certifier, to be free from traces of harmful chemicals. For those who prefer to eliminate the use of animal products and leather tanning altogether, vegan leather or synthetic materials are another option to consider.
Alternative Soles: Recycled rubber
Some rock climbing shoe brands have began to incorporate recycled rubber into the production of rubber soles. According to La Sportiva’s 2021 Sustainability Report, the FriXion ECO rubber is said to be made from recycled components in the standard production process. While there are no further details on La Sportiva’s recycling process, climbing websites claim that La Sportiva recycles rubber scraps from the shoe production process and turns these unwanted leftovers into a new sheet of FiXion ECO rubber. Similarly, some Evolv models are made from a recycled rubber compound called eco-TRAX, which is made from over 30% of post and pre-consumer rubber waste.
When shopping for eco-conscious gear, it is important to not only look out for items that have been branded as “sustainable” or “environmentally friendly” but to also fact check and ensure that the brands uphold practices of sustainable sourcing and production!
