Back to News

What is Eco-Friendly Running Gear?

We runners go through a lot of gear—shoes, shorts, shirts, bras, hats—which puts us deep within a system with a sizeable environmental footprint. When it’s time for new gear, how do you make a sustainable choice?

Braden VanDragt

October 8th, 2024

8 min read

+1
0
+1
0
+1
0

How often do you run through a pair of shoes? When was the last time you bought a new running top or shorts? When it’s time for new gear, how do you make a sustainable choice?

We runners go through a lot of gear—shoes, shorts, shirts, bras, hats—which puts us deep within a system with a sizeable environmental footprint. The textile industry, which provides both our running clothes and the top half of our shoes, has an especially outsized impact.

According to a 2017 Ellen MacArthur Foundation paper, in growing, treating, and dying fabrics, the industry is responsible for 4% of the world’s freshwater withdrawal and 20% of its industrial water pollution.

Many of the synthetic fabrics we rely on for their moisture-wicking abilities and the midsoles of most of our shoes are petroleum-based. And the textile industry’s annual greenhouse gas emissions account for more than those of all international flights and maritime shipping combined.

Yet many running brands and retailers are taking steps to ensure their gear has less of an impact on the environment, so we as runners and consumers can make more sustainable choices.

When it comes to eco-friendly running gear, there are three big ways to shrink the footprint of the gear you choose: the materials used, the manufacturing process involved, and the lifespan of the product.

Making Running Gear with Eco-Friendly Materials

Recycling is back and better than ever.

One of the most straight-forward ways of choosing eco-friendly running gear is to pick products made with recycled materials. By recycling old fabrics into new gear, brands are helping to divert tons of material from landfills.

eco friendly running gear
eco-friendly running shoes

From popular products like Patagonia’s Houdini Jacket (made with 100% recycled nylon) to the Brooks Cascadia 18 (made with the equivalent of 10 recycled plastic bottles and certified carbon neutral), brands are increasingly utilizing recycled material over new.

And while recycling has historically gotten the glory, the real innovations are in the world of renewables.

Wool is among the simplest of renewable materials available to runners. In addition to being naturally anti-microbial, moisture wicking, and a great temperature regulator, wool uses less than 5% of the water required to produce the same amount of cotton, and about 20% of the energy used to make nylon. The next time you need a cool-weather running shirt, consider a merino shirt from Patagonia or Janji.

ecofriendly running shirt
eco-friendly running shirt

Where renewables really get interesting is in footwear. Recently, several brands have begun to mix bio-based materials into their midsole foam. Saucony’s popular Triumph, for example, is available is an RFG (run for good) version that uses a 55% corn-based foam. They call the resulting foam, PWRRUN BIO+.

eco-friendly running shoe
eco friendly running shoe

On, an industry leader in developing eco-friendly products and manufacturing processes, has taken the idea of renewables and recycling to the next level with their subscription-based Cyclon program.

For about $30 per month, you get a pair of shoes made with recycled and bio-based materials, 90% of which can be recycled into new shoe parts. When the shoes wear out, they send you a new pair and you ship the old ones back to be recycled. To make choosing sustainable options easier, Running Warehouse puts a cute little leaf icon next to clothing made from at least 75% recycled or renewable materials and next to shoes incorporating at least 25% recycled or renewable resources. Check it out next time you’re in the market for sustainable running gear.

sustainable materials
Look for this icon on Running Warehouse

Manufacturing Sustainable Running Gear

Beyond making individual products more sustainable, many brands are looking at ways to reduce the environmental impact of their manufacturing.

For example, On uses a process called dope dying in the Cloudsurfer and other shoes to reduce water use by 90% compared to traditional dying processes. Instead of dying the final product, they add pigment directly to their synthetic yarn before it’s woven into the shoe’s upper. This process also reduces the amount of chemicals used.

On is also exploring a way of capturing carbon emissions before they reach our atmosphere, using the resulting material to make the EVA foam in their shoes. They call the process CleanCloud™, and their goal is to eventually use it as the foundation of all their running shoes.

Another area brands are focused on at is the type of power used in manufacturing. Brooks, for example, is in the process of transitioning to renewable energy sources not only at their headquarters, distribution centers, and stores, but also at their manufacturing and assembly facilities. Their goal is to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

When you’re shopping for your next piece of eco-friendly running gear, it can be helpful to understand common sustainability certifications brands use to ensure their products and manufacturing processes meet strict environmental standards. These include:

eco friendly runner

Running Gear Durability and Used Running Gear

No matter how you spin it, every piece of running gear you buy has an environmental impact. The most effective way to make eco-friendly gear decisions is to choose gear that lasts as long as possible, or to buy used gear.

Sometimes the most sustainable piece of gear is the one you just can’t bear to replace (my ten-year-old Salomon vest may have more holes than fabric at this point, but you’ll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands), but some products are made with longevity specifically in mind.

While most running shoes give you 300 to 500 good miles, shoes from NNormal are designed to last well beyond that. (Kílian Jornet covered more than 800 miles and almost 300,000 feet of elevation in his first pair of Kjerags!) And for added sustainability, NNormal will take your used shoes—from any brand—and either repair or recycle them.

Similarly, Speedland makes their shoes with both durability and recyclability in mind. Not only are they designed to last beyond what you can expect from most brands, but they break down into their component parts for easy recycling, something the company takes care of for you.

If you’re like me and drowning in worn-out shoes that aren’t fit for re-use, consider recycling them. Some local running shops will recycle your old shoes for you, or you can check out TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Box™.

And if there’s just no way around it, and you need to pick up a new pair of shoes or some running clothes, consider going for used gear. If you don’t have the time or inclination to dig through the options at your local thrift shop, brands like Patagonia and REI simplify the process with their used-gear programs.

And sending your own unneeded gear into these programs is a great way to give it a second life and keep it out of the landfill while getting a credit to spend on something you will use.

Talk about a win-win.

eco friendly runners keep gear out of landfill
Be an eco-friendly runner and keep your gear out of here!

♻️ More Sustainable Gear Guides 👇

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.