It has also invested in in-house recycling facilities, wastewater processing at all facilities and reusable shipping boxes.

Achieving zero waste will require discipline and continual improvement, it said.

It began implementing the Higg Index auditing process in 2019 to improve environmental, labour and social practices, and it plans to share progress to help other manufacturers.

Ortholite CEO Glenn Barrett said: “This path is not the easy way forward, but it is most certainly the right one as we enter our next 25 years. And we look forward to affecting positive change faster by working with our global supply chain and brand partners to invest in and implement circular solutions.”

OrthoLite supplies to more than 350 footwear brands and its insoles are used in more than 500 million pairs of shoes every year. The inclusion of 5% recycled content in each insole prevents more than 300 metric tons of rubber waste from going to landfills each year, according to the company.