Inarguably, Paris is fashion capital of the world. Small wonder, it would emerge as a pioneer in thrift of an essential part of our everyday dress-up – footwear.
Every week, hundreds of used sneakers arrive at a workshop east of Paris where workers inspect them asking a simple question, can a shoe.be saved?
In all, 30,000 used sneakers were collected last year; of these 2000 were resold. This is part of an endeavour by nonprofit SneakCoeureZ which is in the business of sorting the shoes to check which one can be resold or redistributed and which have to be rejected.
The group’s work underscores the growing waste problem in France. Its location is a contrast to its purpose as the French capital is long known as a leading fashion and luxury hub of the world.
The stakes are high. The textile industry is among the world’s most polluting and the fashion and according to a United Nations report, the textile sector accounts for upto 8 per cent of global green gas emissions.
At its workshop in Champs-sur-Marne workers inspect the used shoes and see which can be salvaged. The structural elements of shoe is what determines whether it can be refurbished or not.
A damaged Velcro strap or a lace is not a deterrent to repair a sneaker. It is usually the outsole which presents the stiffest challenge.
Pairs that make the cut are cleaned from the sole upward and disinfected inside. In some cases, they are whitened under UV light before being put back into circulation.More than 7,000 pairs have been given to people in need and 19 jobs have been created.
France has tried to respond to the issue of fast-fashion waste through law and rhetoric. A state- backed repair bonus for clothing and shoes was introduced in November 2023.
