Rothy’s, a womens footwear brand, is the ‘holy grail’ of shoes. Their products looks great, are super comfortable and are made of recycled materials that help to reduce environmental impact. Rarely does a product deliver on all three criteria and it is why Rothy’s is one of the top Circular Economy brands.
Their shoes feature an environmentally-friendly recycled carbon-free rubber outsole, and insoles made of recycled plastic and recyclable foam. The result is a shoe that has no seams to cause blisters, a highly breathable upper that feels soft, and a cushy footbed that is as comfortable as the leading brands.
The use of all these recycled materials would fall short if they didn’t last. A key testament of the Circular Economy is ensuring that a product lasts as long as possible. This means that the product is not only durable but is also resilient to fast fashion trends. In many ways Rothy’s product longevity is an understated story that in fact sets them apart from others. Since their products are primarily made from one of the most resilient man-made materials, plastic, they are inherently highly durable. Rothy’s ensures that they only use recycled plastic that helps keep waste out of landfills while cutting demand for petroleum. The use of this robust material enables it to withstand many wash cycles in a standard washing machine, making them look like new every time they are washed. This is good because you’ll want to wear these shoes for nearly any occasion. Due to their timeless design you can and will wear them for years to come.
When the time comes to part with your shoes, Rothy’s provides a pre-paid envelope to ship back your old shoes so that they can be recycled into new ones. This is possible impart to their minimalist design approach that makes use of uniform materials and only a handful of components.
Analysis: This article shows a show brand dedicated to the circular economy and reducing the amount of pollution from shoes. Rothy’s shoes implements a business model that after the shoes are worn out you send them back to their facilities where they are simply taken apart and used in a new shoe. This circular economy is sustainable and is a great model for how we could reduce the number of shoes thrown away each year.
