Tree project will make Mizuno collection carbon-neutral
Japanese brand Mizuno has said a new version of its Wave Neo footwear collection will be carbon-neutral.
The new collection will feature black versions of the Wave Neo Wind and Wave Neo Ultra running shoes. Mizuno said it had chosen recycled polyester and plant-derived materials for the construction of the shoes to keep carbon emissions low during production.
In addition, Mizuno has partnered with the US National Forest Foundation to plant approximately 50,000 trees in Boise National Forest in Idaho. The brand anticipates making 20,000 pairs of the shoes in an initial production run and has calculated the carbon emissions that this will generate.
It has calculated that, over their lifetime, the trees in Idaho will absorb the same amount of carbon as the production of the running shoes will generate, making the project carbon-neutral.
It describes Wave Neo shoes as highly functional and designed for performance runners as well as performance-minded marathon runners. They are equipped with the company’s proprietary Wave and Enerzy technologies. The first of these provides cushioning and stability; the second is a resilient sole material.
Other features include a plate made from Arkema’s Pebax Rnew plant-derived elastomer material. This is material that Mizuno has been using for nearly 15 years now.
