Case study · Sportswear · Argentina

Worn, repaired, returned. The shoes had more miles left in them.

The trainers had already carried their owners through workouts and everyday life. Brought back to Reebok stores and partner gyms, they were repaired and returned to use on new feet.

62 m²Material recorded

2Product types

19People in the process

2Collection networks

01 · Challenge

Used sports shoes are the hardest object to recover.

Trainers do not sit in a warehouse waiting to be collected. They are in people's homes, one pair at a time, and no logistics chain reaches them.

The problem was never the material. It was the collection point, and the reason for someone to walk it there.

Reebok's presence in Argentina combines retail expansion, cultural collaborations and a global commitment to eco-friendly manufacturing.

02 · Strategy

Put the bin where the athlete already is.

A discount is a reason. A gym is a place. Together they are a collection network.

01 · RECOVER

Totems in stores and gyms

Collection bins were placed across Reebok stores, with several CrossFit gyms joining as partners.

02 · REDESIGN

The exchange makes it work

Leaving a pair earned a discount towards the next one, which turns a good intention into a transaction people complete.

03 · REPORT

It is not just about metrics

It is about changing the story of the material and the people behind it: shoes collected from the people who wore them, repaired and donated to people experiencing homelessness.

03 · Process

From the gym floor back into use.

Shoes left at a totem by the person who wore them, then repaired rather than shredded.

04 · Evidence

Making Impact Traceable, Transparent & Verifiable.

Shoes collected through store and gym totems, then repaired, restored and donated; 62 m² of material recorded in the case.

The figures in this case are checked and the record is managed by REZET Hub.

Collect

Totems installed in stores and partner gyms.

Assess

Each pair checked for repair or transformation.

Restore

Repaired and restored where possible.

Place

Donated to people experiencing homelessness.

Behind each of these figures there are families. The people who cut and sew in these workshops are not a line in our metrics: they are heads of family who have come through hard circumstances, and paid, skilled work is what lets them be the ones who provide.

05 · Outcome

A campaign that ended with shoes on feet.

For the “Reeciclar, Reeducir, Reeusar” campaign, collection totems were placed in Reebok stores and partner CrossFit gyms. Athletes left their old shoes, received a discount towards a new pair, and the collected footwear was repaired, restored and donated. Made by 19 people in social impact workshops.

Why repurpose

If you are going to spend money, spend it well.

Be smart about where you put your budget. Instead of buying the same merch everyone replicates, invest in merch with a true impact story.
And instead of taking the easy, often costly route of recycling by destroying the material, repurpose it. Preserve its value. Give it a second chance.