Timberland uses recycled plastic and rubber in new footwear collection

Timberland has launched a new footwear collection which uses materials made from recycled plastic bottles and recycled rubber.

The new collection, Brooklyn EK+, has been launched to support the company’s sustainability drive.

It features uppers, linings and laces made of 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles (ReBOTL) material, and soles made with 34 per cent recycled rubber.

According to Timberland, in 2018, a total of 69 per cent of all Timberland footwear shipped in 2018 contained major components with at least 10 per cent recycled, organic or renewable (ROR) content, up slightly from 67 per cent the previous year.

In a statement, Timberland said the company was “working hard to reach its goal of 100 per cent by 2020” by requiring all new footwear styles to incorporate ROR materials.

“Around the world, the use of plastic water bottles is on the rise, and many of these end up in our landfills and oceans,” said Colleen Vien, Sustainability Director for Timberland.

“As a global community, we need to re-think how we’re using our resources. At Timberland our goal is for 100 per cent of our footwear to have at least one major component made using recycled, organic or renewable material. Today, we’re at 75 per cent, thanks to styles like the Brooklyn EK+.”