January 10, 2020
Reebok has launched its first ever plant-based performance running shoe range - set to hit the market later this year. The Forever Floatride GROW is the first item in the brand’s Cotton + Corn lifestyle collection of footwear.
The new range is a part of the brand’s commitment to sustainability – and an example of a growing trend of ethical material sourcing in sportswear.
Bill McInnis, Vice President of Reebok Future said that “the biggest challenge in making the shoe [Forever Floatride GROW] was developing plant-based materials that could meet the high performance needs of runners.”
”We heard loud and clear that the idea of a plant-based running shoe resonates strongly with serious runners. But those same runners felt just as emphatically that they would never compromise on performance.”
Matt O’Toole, Reebok Brand President, added: “The earth is a runner’s arena, and we have a responsibility to help detox the world for the athletes who run in it.” He noted that Reebok’s Cotton + Corn collection was the first step in making sustainable performance running shoes to go on the market.
“Our consumers have told us they want more sustainable products, and the running community has been the most vocal and passionate on this issue.”
Reebok says its sustainability efforts come under two pillars: [REE]GROW, which focuses on the creation of products from natural materials; and [REE]CYCLED, which focuses on creating products using recycled or repurposed materials.
The brand says it has committed to reducing virgin polyester from its material mix and eliminating it altogether by 2024.