Neat step toward sustainability

Reebok is taking sustainable footwear to a whole new level with its newest product.  Their latest shoe, dubbed Cotton + Corn, debuted last week and is made entirely of plant-based materials — the top is all cotton and the soles are made of a corn-based rubber substitute.  The company is also working with the compost manufacturing industry to develop a totally biodegradable shoe that will decompose within 6 months of being put in a compost bin – the industry standard.  Their hope is to make shoes that are sustainable at both ends of their life cycle.  Americans toss into the trash more than 300 million pairs of shoes each year and they take 30-40 years to decompose and shoes made of plastic materials take even longer, so making shoes that are easily biodegradable will be a huge benefit to the environment.  These shoes are a HUGE “step” in the right direction — and they look great too!