Wiltshire entrepreneur launches trainer brand made from waste …

A Wiltshire entrepreneur is the brains behind a new range of trainers made from waste motorsport tyres and other recycled materials. Alex Witty has now launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise £25,000 to fulfil initial orders for his sustainable footwear.

He says Compound Footwear will be the only sneaker brand using tyres destined for incineration to convert into fashionable footwear. The graduate's aim is to create a 100% recyclable trainer that offers a more sustainable solution for both the motorsport and the fashion industry - where 22 billion shoes end up in landfill each year.

Alex, 25, from Trowbridge, studied sustainable product design at the University of Brighton during the 2020 Covid lockdown. He had the idea for his trainers after hearing about the cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix.

He said: "He said: “As the university facilities were closed due to Covid, it forced me to convert my bedroom into a workshop, where I was recycling materials such coffee and ocean plastic in rows of panini presses and melting seaweed polymers in the student kitchen. I wasn’t winning any flatmate of the year awards that year!

“It was during this time that the Australian Grand Prix was cancelled and I heard that 1,800 brand-new tyres were scrapped and shipped back to the UK to be incinerated. I was shocked to find out that most motorsport tyres are burnt after each race and felt that surely I could find a better use for them.

"Over the past two years, I’ve engaged with tyre manufacturers, shoe producers, material scientists and race series organisers, including Formula 1 and Formula E. I’ve done extensive research and testing of tyre recycling methods, delved into devulcanisation, micronisation and cryogenic grinding, and explored other motorsport waste materials, such as scrap carbon fibre, race suits and motorsport clothing, where 25% of source materials typically go to waste as factory off-cuts."

The motorsport-inspired sneakers are made by combining used race tyre rubber with recycled natural rubber to create the shoe soles. The uppers are made from waste leather and recycled polyester lining and laces.

Alex says that at the end of their natural life, Compound Footwear sneakers can be recycled into 100% reusable raw materials to make new shoes and products.

He added: "Our objective is to avoid the use of virgin fossil fuels, reduce the number of different materials that make most sneakers un-recyclable, and incorporate sustainable, recycled materials that not only reduce environmental impact, but are also an attractive step towards a cleaner, greener future.

"My sneaker journey has so far taken me to Bahrain, Italy, Spain, Germany and Portugal for shoe making courses, meetings and collaboration talks with world-leading industry experts. I’ve also investigated polyester recycling techniques to create new yarns from waste motorsport clothing to create knitted sneaker uppers, a process that’s still in development."

Alex's project has received substantial support from the world of motorsport, as well as funding from Innovate UK, Santander and Verizon amongst others.

Stuart Pringle, managing director of Silverstone, said: "As the home of British motorsport we have a responsibility to lead the way with smarter methods of working and are looking to collaborate with partners on new and innovative ideas to help build a sustainable future for our industry. Compound Footwear’s solution to sneaker and race tyre waste along with its mission to create a greener future in motorsport is commendable and we are delighted to be supporting their initiative"

The Compound Footwear Kickstarter launched on October 24, offering its first range of sneakers. Early supporters will get limited-edition sneakers and clothing at early-bird prices.

Find out more at www.compoundfootwear.com^[3]

References

1. ^{^} Driver 'didn't brake early enough' before train crash that injured 14 (www.wiltshirelive.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Wiltshire teen arrested on suspicion of murder after house party stabbing (www.wiltshirelive.co.uk)
3. ^{^} www.compoundfootwear.com (www.compoundfootwear.com)