Puma turns a biodegradable shoe into compost. The company invited people in Germany to test the biodegradability of its experimental sneaker called Re:Suede.

A familiar model of its classic suede sneaker has found a new use. Through a compound “under certain custom-made industrial conditions.”

It all started in 2021, when Puma created 500 pairs of experimental Re:Suede sneakers, the tanned suede style called Zeology, and complemented it with TPE soles and hemp fibers.

As part of this experiment to test this new prototype, volunteers were asked to wear the shoes for half a year, testing both their durability and comfort, and then they were sent to a specially equipped industrial composting area operated by their de the Netherlands, Ortessa Group.

Puma maintained a strict protocol at all times. He shredded the sneakers, mixed them with other green household waste and placed them in a composting tunnel. They were then “sprayed with leach water” from the previous composting containing nutrients and naturally heated due to biological activity and controlled air circulation in the tunnel. After approximately three and a half months, the materials were smaller than 10 millimeters, small enough for a Grade A compost for agricultural use (according to Dutch standards).

The remaining materials were returned to the composting tunnel until they reached the desired level.​
“We will continue to innovate with our partners to determine the infrastructure and technologies necessary to make the process viable for a commercial version of Re:Suede, including a recovery plan, in 2024.” declared Puma sourcing director Anne-Laure Descours.