The number one question on rubbish recycling day is always, “Where exactly do all those plastic bottles go?” Well, wonder no more friends, because Japanese sneaker specialists ASICS have the answer with their new Edo Era Tribute Collection - they go straight into their shoes.
The name Edo Era is a nod to the Edo period of Japan, a couple of centuries where they got very serious about recycling, viewing everything as a valuable source that could be used time and time again (anyone who went to school in their sibling's hand-me-downs will attest that the Japanese spirit is alive and well here in Blighty and has been for some time.)
The collection comes at a pertinent time for Japan. Tokyo may have missed the Olympics this year, but 2021 will see the world turn its gaze to the greatest show on earth and issues such as sustainability, and eco-friendly approaches to sport, will be top of the agenda.
The Edo Era Tribute boasts six serious running shoes and four sneakers, all of which have recycled polyester fibres made from a total of 300,000 plastic bottles. It’s a heady number but is apparently just part of ASICS ambitious determination to combat climate change by switching to 100% recycled polyester fibres in all its shoes by 2030.
The shoe’s graphics are straight from the 19th century: Yose Moji and Kakuji are two fonts from the Edo era that were found on posters and the gates to shrines and temples. And now they are right there, on your shoes. Mind, blown.
And the green approach doesn’t stop with the shoes. The collection uses 100% recycled paper shoe boxes and ASICS have switched from using oil based inks to water-based ones, which has halved ink usage (how well that holds out in the British rain remains to be seen). The reason behind these changes - reduce ASICS annual CO2 emissions by 1,200 metric tonnes.
The Edo Era Tribute is out now: scroll down for the collection
