Sports company Puma announced it has started to distribute 500 pairs of its experimental Re:Suede sneaker to participants in Germany after recording strong interest for this biodegradability project. 

With the Re:Suede experiment, the company will test whether it can make a biodegradable version of its Suede shoe style. The participants will wear the Re:Suede for half a year before returning their pairs to Puma. The company will then send the worn shoes to industrial composting experts Ortessa in the Netherlands, who will analyse whether the sneakers can biodegrade in a controlled, industrial setting. 

“We are excited that we received many times more requests for the Re:Suede experiment than we had pairs available, which shows that there is a large interest in sustainability topics,” said Heiko Desens, Global Creative Director at Puma. “As part of the experiment, we will also gather feedback from participants about the comfort and durability of the sneakers, which will help us design future versions of the shoe, if the experiment is successful.”

Puma’s global brand ambassadors, such as model, actress and activist Cara Delevingne, will also test the Re:Suede as part of this project. The Re:Suede is said to be made with materials such as Zeology tanned suede, biodegradable TPE and hemp fibers. Compared to other biodegradable materials that were evaluated, these materials also ensure better comfort for the wearer, said the company. The Re:Suede experiment is the first project to launch as part of the company’s “Circular Lab”, an innovation hub, which brings together its sustainability and design experts who work on circularity programmes, as per the statement.