The automotive industry seeks to reduce waste through the reuse of materials. ASICS, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of sportswear and footwear, decided to support this initiative. The company found a use for automotive waste, in particular, scraps of airbags, from which they made a new pair of sneakers.
Called the ASICS Gel-Sonoma 15-50, the shoe was created in collaboration with Toyoda Gosei (a subsidiary of Toyota), a major Japanese auto parts manufacturer. The company handed over to ASICS the scrap material left over from airbag production, which was planned to be disposed of. The fabric used for airbags is manufactured to strict safety and performance standards and is highly flexible, strong and durable. This makes the fabric an ideal material for the upper of the sneaker. ASICS designers even decided to keep the red stitching and branding on the fabric, and added an image of an inflated airbag to the tongue of the sneaker.
ASICS Gel-Sonoma 15-50 are produced in Indonesia and in addition to synthetic fabric from airbags, natural leather and synthetic resin are also used in their production. So far, the new sneakers are being introduced to the Japanese home market, where official sales will start on January 26 at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of 16,500 yen (about $127). Whether the new eco-friendly pair of running shoes from ASICS will appear on sale in other countries and at what price is still unknown.
Source: Trash Box
Charles Grill is a tech-savvy writer with over 3 years of experience in the field. He writes on a variety of technology-related topics and has a strong focus on the latest advancements in the industry. He is connected with several online news websites and is currently contributing to a technology-focused platform.
