How to Recycle Old Sneakers

Perhaps they just don’t fit anymore, have gone out of style or you no longer have a purpose for them. Whatever the reason, old sneakers can take up valuable closet space and add to clutter. Instead of throwing them away in the trash, why not recycle them? There are many ways to repurpose shoes or give them to someone in need.

• Donate your gently used sneakers to a local shelter or thrift shop to help people in your local community. The shoes will not have to travel far before someone can use them to travel in.


• Contact Soles4Soles, a charity that gives shoes to those in need for no cost at all. Since 2005, they have given out over 15 million pairs of shoes and are always in constant need of more. You can choose to ship your sneakers to them or leave them at a drop-off location. 


• Make your old sneakers become something new. Nike can use the rubber, foam and fibers from sneakers to surface tracks and playgrounds, cushion outdoor basketball and tennis courts and pad indoor synthetic and wood courts. You can either mail your sneakers directly to their recycling facility or take them to a Nike Reuse-A-Shoe drop-off location.    


• Get your equally sized footed friends together and hold a shoe swap. They may want your old Nikes while you may fall in love with their classic Converse.


• Give your shoes to your local Freecycle group. The Freecycle Network is a non-profit organization that focuses on keeping things out of landfills by exchanging items with others. You can donate your shoes and then look for something that you may want. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure! Visit the Freecycle website to find an area group near you so you can start exchanging.    


• Sell your shoes if they are in good condition and you want to get a little cash for them. Try posting them online on websites such as Craigslist or eBay.