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Community PartnershipsSoles4Souls
The most impactful circularity starts with what’s already in your warehouse
With the UN’s Climate Change Conference – COP30 – in Brazil right around the corner, the spotlight will shine once more on how countries and organisations are taking real action towards a more circular, sustainable future.
But brands don’t have to wait for lawmakers to define new frameworks on waste reduction. Instead, you just need the right partner to do more good.
In 2024, Soles4Souls and our partners diverted 9.2 million lbs (4.2 million kgs) of shoes and clothing from landfill, creating $69,549,921 (£51,845,640) in economic impact – money that stays in the pockets of people and communities who receive shoes, clothing, and other goods. It’s proof that when businesses act, impact multiplies for both people and the planet. So, how can you get involved?
The business case for broader circularity
The build-up to last year’s COP29 saw huge media buzz around how the fashion sector would demonstrate progress toward tackling climate change. But even with official event keynotes like “Decarbonizing the global textile value chains” exploring trade policy solutions, unfortunately the formal post-conference agreements failed to include strong, binding language on fashion.
Yet we know textiles have a massive environmental impact. The sector is the second-biggest consumer of water and responsible for 10% of global CO2 emissions. Worse still, today’s materials, manufacturing and end-of-life processes mean that millions of tons of shoes and clothing still end up in landfills each year.
“The biggest barrier to footwear sustainability in particular is the incredibly high amount of componentry. Sneakers, for example, feature multiple components like PVC, EVA and TPU that make them difficult and expensive to break down and recycle.”
- Mike Shirey, Chief Operating Officer and EVP Circularity at Soles4Souls
But while policymakers debate definitions, businesses can already lead by example – turning excess stock into measurable impact.
Managing surplus with purpose
This year, Soles4Souls introduced a simple new way to navigate the global textile waste crisis and recover real material value.
Solutions4Good provides brands and retailers with trusted, UK-compliant service-based
solutions to manage surplus, B-grade, and returned inventory. In the UK, we work directly with brand partners through our established local network, providing responsive and flexible services tailored to UK-specific needs.
From sorting and grading to resale, repair, repurposing, and providing responsible end-of-life solutions, we divert textiles from landfills, protect brand integrity, and create measurable social and environmental value. Plus, we’ll help you meet strict regulatory requirements and build purpose-driven brand impact.
“Our Solutions4Good program means we can sort, grade and break goods apart to access their raw components, some of which can go back into the commercial stream and be upcycled into new products.”
- Mike Shirey, Chief Operating Officer and EVP Circularity at Soles4Souls
Excess stock can equal opportunity
But what happens when products can’t be broken down for recommerce? A dress shoe, for instance, can be almost impossible to properly recycle depending on the materials used in the heel, shank, upper and more. This is where we pivot to a different type of circularity: keeping shoes and clothing in use for as long as possible.
As part of our 4Opportunity program, we equip entrepreneurs in low-income countries with donated shoes and clothing to sell, helping them create sustainable small businesses that lift families out of poverty and drive community growth. These donations are provided either by individuals, people who have held a collection drive or brands with excess or returned shoes and clothing.
This type of circularity can reduce your overheads while boosting your brand’s perception; warehouses get to make valuable space for new stock, unsold products avoid liquidation, and employees become measurably more productive because they know they’re working towards a good cause. It’s why long-term partners like Crocs donate a range of items, from imperfect shoes and aged inventory to gently used customer returns, through our operational network:
“Crocs’ circularity ambition is to champion circular models of production and consumption
through innovative product design and collaboration. To make this ambition a reality, we know we must help break the linear take-make-waste model.
“Our end-of-life vision is to close the loop by directing shoes away from landfills, while minimising waste and carbon in a financially resilient manner. Soles4Souls allows us to keep shoes on feet at their highest value and at the same time create opportunity and comfort for communities around the world.”
- Deanna Bratter, Chief Sustainability Officer, Crocs, Inc.
The time for circular action is now
While COP30 is soon set to dominate headlines and sustainability agendas, there’s no guarantee we’ll see any further progress on textile regulation. Either way, brands don’t have to wait for November’s outcomes and takeaways to pivot towards greater circularity. Consumers want it. Employees want it. And both the planet and entrepreneurs in low-income countries need it. So, why not get started today?
“Sustainability and circularity are two of the biggest business trends right now. Regulatory and policy discussions are top of mind in the retail wholesale space. Socially, younger generations are especially aware of their environmental footprints. Consumers are forcing brands to acknowledge that they need to take a stance on circularity. There’s definitely a value-add for businesses who answer this call.”
- Mike Shirey, Chief Operating Officer and EVP Circularity at Soles4Souls
Ready to turn your surplus into impact? Fill out our partnership form to explore how your brand can make circularity a reality today.
