Asics Partners With I:co To Halve Emissions
Sportswear manufacturer Asics has launched a partnership with I:Collect (I:CO), which will see the Japanese brand recycle and reuse its products at eight marathons in 2019.
Asics, which this year celebrates its 70th anniversary, has committed to reduce product related greenhouse gas emissions by 55% globally by 2030.
The Europe-wide scheme will be introduced at the Barcelona Marathon on 10th March 2019, with Asics planning to implement product recycling programmes at seven further events across Europe.
Asics Europe has partnered with I:CO, an innovator in sustainable collection, reuse and recycling of clothing and shoes, to implement a programme to enable recycling and reuse of its products at marathons across EMEA.
The European initiative follows Asics’ recent announcement that 30,000 pieces of its sports apparel will be collected from consumers in Japan to be recycled toward 2020.
As part of its latest programme, Asics are to call on runners and supporters to return used sports apparel and footwear at the Barcelona Expo, as well as its flagship store in the city, located at Avinguda Diagonal.
Beginning in Barcelona, the programme is to be delivered at Asics’ largest sponsored races across Europe, including the Paris Marathon and Stockholm Marathon.
Asics has also revealed that any merchandising and promotional apparel developed for the races is made from sustainable materials.
Romy Miltenburg, Manager CSR and Sustainability EMEA at Asics, said: “As a product driven company, shifting to more sustainable materials and engaging our customers and consumers on our journey to a circular business model are at the heart of our sustainability strategy.
“Working on our global programme to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in alignment with the Science Based Targets initiative, we have identified that more than 80% of our CO2 emissions originate from the processes and materials we use to create our footwear and apparel and end of life treatment of sold products.”
