We all want to do that little bit extra to help the planet, so where better to start than with recycling your old shoes! Once you’ve decided that you can’t get any more use out of them, it’s important that you recycle or dispose of your old footwear responsibly.
If you’re curious about what types of footwear you can recycle and how to do so, then our guide is here to answer your questions. So go on, give your old shoes the happy send-off they deserve and don’t just throw them in the bin.
Can you recycle old shoes?
To answer this question simply – yes, you can recycle old shoes. As well as helping to make space in your home by clearing out what you no longer have use for, recycling your shoes will help to prevent more waste from ending up in the landfill, which in turn will help to minimise your carbon footprint.
Sometimes we get attached to our favourite pair of shoes and we can’t admit that they are at the end of their lifetime. It’s usually in this scenario that our old shoes aren’t in a state to re-sell or donate to charity. If this is the case, then recycling your old shoes is the best option.
Where can I recycle shoes?
If your old footwear is past the point of upcycling, you can find your closest recycling centre here. These centres will recycle your worn-out shoes, slippers and trainers. Taking your shoes to a recycling centre will help the environment by reducing pollution and consequently protecting our ecosystems and wildlife.
Remember, you can’t put shoes in the household recycling bin or your black bin as this is usually for household waste that cannot be recycled. For your old footwear to be responsibly recycled, you must visit a recycling centre to dispose of them.
What else can you do with old shoes?
Sometimes your shoe collection is just in dire need of a clear out. If there is still life yet to be had in your old shoes, there are different routes you can take before visiting a recycling centre.
Donate
For shoes that are still in good shape, the most selfless thing you can do is to donate them to charity. Once you know which pair/pairs of shoes you’re ready to let go of, give them a good clean to make sure they’re in a respectable condition for donation. Once scrubbed up, visit your local charity shop to gift your shoes. This is a great way of making essential clothing items more accessible for others.
Shoe banks are an alternative to charity shops; simply bag up your shoes and drop them off at any point in the day. These charity shop alternatives can be found at most popular supermarkets.Â
Top tip: Tie shoelaces together to make sure your shoes don’t get separated!
Sell
If your shoes are still in good condition, you can always go down the selling route. Sometimes if you’re getting rid of shoes, it may mean you’re wanting to make room for new ones – so selling them is a great way to earn a little extra money that you can then put towards the new shoes, trainers or boots.
There are many sites and apps that make it easy to discover where you can sell your old footwear; you never know, you may make someone’s day with a pair of shoes they’ve been searching for!
Top tip: Like with donations, don’t forget to give your old shoes a good clean before you send them off.
Upcycle
If you’re not yet ready to give up on your old shoes, try upcycling what you have. There are DIY tips and tricks you can carry out to help revive an old pair of shoes. For example, you can purchase new fabric to fix up any wear and tear, or you could simply repair a crack in the sole with some glue! It may just be that your shoes need a bit of TLC, so take a look at our shoe care products to help tidy up your old shoes and give them a new lease of life. If you’re unable to tackle the upcycling yourself, you can always visit your nearest cobblers for professional help in fixing up your footwear.
Top tip: You could even use your old worn-out shoes as planters!
What to do with old trainers?
You should handle old trainers the same way as all your other footwear, so the above tips all apply.
If you have old trainers that are still in a decent condition, you can either donate to charity, sell on second-hand websites or upcycle with additional materials.
If your trainers are past their best then you can recycle them, all you need to do is drop them off at your local recycling centre.
So, there’s everything you need to know about how to recycle old shoes responsibly. For more footwear advice or inspiration, visit our blog, or if you’ve got some more room in your wardrobe now that you’ve recycled your old shoes, browse our fantastic range of men’s, women’s, girl’s or boy’s shoes too find your next perfect pair.
