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Sportswear multinational Puma is calling for the end of ‘outdated’ import duties on synthetics that add to the cost of switching to new, more sustainable materials for the manufacture of shoes and clothes.
And the German sports giant plans to form a coalition of companies, to be launched next year, that will continue to develop the environmental profit and loss account (EP&L) concept it has championed since introducing its own eco accounting model last year.
Puma says that the environmental impact of shoes and T-shirts made from newly-developed biodegradable materials is nearly a third less than those made with conventional materials.
The company estimates that 31 trucks are needed to clear the waste from 100,000 pairs of its leather sneakers during production and use, as opposed to 12 for its new InCycle Basket shoes. Puma puts a €4.29 ($5.60, £3.50) figure on the environmental cost of a pair of its conventional shoes, against €2.95 for the biodegradable version.
The company, which plans to stop using leather in its football boots because of its high environmental impact, says its calculations cover production, use and disposal.
CO2 emissions from raising and slaughtering cattle for leather are 35% higher than from growing cotton used for InCycle Basket shoes. The composting of biodegradable shoes after use produces far lower emissions than landfill dumping or incineration.
Puma chairman Jochen Zeitz said: “Our job is not only to lessen the impact our products have on the environment, but also to engage our customers and help them make better, more sustainable choices.”
Import duties, however, make greener shoes €10 dearer, so Puma wants government action.
He said: “I call on governments to support companies to use more sustainable materials in their products instead of continuing with antiquated incentives, such as import duties on synthetic materials that are much higher compared with those on leather goods.”
And the German sports giant plans to form a coalition of companies, to be launched next year, that will continue to develop the environmental profit and loss account (EP&L) concept it has championed since introducing its own eco accounting model last year.
Puma says that the environmental impact of shoes and T-shirts made from newly-developed biodegradable materials is nearly a third less than those made with conventional materials.
The company estimates that 31 trucks are needed to clear the waste from 100,000 pairs of its leather sneakers during production and use, as opposed to 12 for its new InCycle Basket shoes. Puma puts a €4.29 ($5.60, £3.50) figure on the environmental cost of a pair of its conventional shoes, against €2.95 for the biodegradable version.
The company, which plans to stop using leather in its football boots because of its high environmental impact, says its calculations cover production, use and disposal.
CO2 emissions from raising and slaughtering cattle for leather are 35% higher than from growing cotton used for InCycle Basket shoes. The composting of biodegradable shoes after use produces far lower emissions than landfill dumping or incineration.
Puma chairman Jochen Zeitz said: “Our job is not only to lessen the impact our products have on the environment, but also to engage our customers and help them make better, more sustainable choices.”
Import duties, however, make greener shoes €10 dearer, so Puma wants government action.
He said: “I call on governments to support companies to use more sustainable materials in their products instead of continuing with antiquated incentives, such as import duties on synthetic materials that are much higher compared with those on leather goods.”
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