Reusing Sneakers Found On The Beach

Last year I washed 42 pair of reusable tennis shoes of which were donated to homeless. That doesn’t count the hundreds of other tennis shoes that were either singles or completely destroyed and the amount of tennis shoes that were put in the trash. It has become obvious that even tennis shoes have become a disposable item, a sad sorry when you consider that an estimated 300 million people in the world do not have shoes.

Just about everyone has old running shoes lying around their homes, filling up much-needed closet space. It can be easy just to toss them away, not thinking twice about it. However, this is not only dangerous for the environment, but it also increases your carbon footprint. Don’t let your running shoes wind up in a landfill or the beach repurpose them! 

There are several ways to repurpose old running shoes, all of which require minimal extra effort. This little effort needed by you can create a world of difference for the environment. All you need to do is get creative!

Our Favorite Way to Repurpose Sneakers

Running Shoe Drive Fundraiser

This idea is particularly effective as a nonprofit fundraiser. If you aren’t already involved with an organization, no worries! Partner with a local nonprofit, school or Terracycle to make sure the running shoe drive funds are used for community advancement. For instance we have a local business Randalls Sandals who collects shoes and does beach clean ups. 

Running shoe drive fundraisers are an excellent way to repurpose unwanted sneakers while also supporting the environment. By spreading the word, you’ll encourage the community to join together for a worthy cause. Here’s how they work:

1. Partner with a running shoe drive coordinator.
   
2. Collect gently worn, used and new athletic shoes.
   
3. Fill and send the shipping bags provided by your facilitator.
   
4. Receive a check based on how many pairs you send.
   

That’s it! Instead of throwing out perfectly good sneakers, encourage supporters to declutter their homes and make room for new ones while you generate some extra income for your cause.

Parting with sneakers you’ve depended on for so long can be difficult. Knowing they’re being put to good use (instead of decomposing in a landfill) makes the process much easier.

How to Repurpose Athletic Shoes At Home

If you’re not willing to part with your beloved sneakers (and understandably so), reuse them around your home. No matter their condition, there are ways you can give them a new purpose that only take a bit of handy work.

Here’s where you can get really creative. Whether your child has outgrown their athletic shoes or you’ve worn your sneakers into the ground, the possibilities are endless. The only limit is your imagination!

Planters

Give your garden some flare by using your old sneakers as planters. This art project works for even the tiniest (and dirtiest) sneakers, so it’s a fun activity the whole family will enjoy.

Personally, I just put in dirt and added cactus. But if you want to sterilize start by cleaning and disinfecting them. You can apply outdoor acrylic sealer both inside and outside the athletic shoe, so the sneakers can face and survive the weather. Drill holes in the sole of the running shoe to create a drainage system. Now, you can fill them with dirt and pick which plants will call them home. 

You can grow anything from tiny succulents to clusters of flowers. Plant greenery of all shapes and sizes to create an intriguing and colorful garden. If your foliage will bloom at some point, make sure the flower color and athletic shoe color complement one another.

Get creative with your display, too. For instance, you can attach several planters to a stump or hang them on a tree or fence. You can even paint each sneaker to give it an extra splash of color. 

Birdhouse or Feeder

Encourage wildlife to visit your home by turning your old running shoes into a birdhouse or bird feeder. There’s no better place to start giving back to the environment than in your own backyard.

Just like you would when making planters, you’ll want to start by disinfecting them. Remember to stuff the toe with something so that birds don’t get stuck when they decide to visit. Then, nail your creative birdhouse to a tree through the heel. From here, all you have to do is wait. It may take a while, but be patient. Hopefully, a family of birds will make a nest out of your old running shoes.

Another idea that birds will love is a feeder. To do this, remove the sole from the sneaker and nail it to a tree or fence. Alternatively, you can hang it from a limb by its strings. Keep an eye on it and regularly fill it with birdseed. Birds will flock to your backyard in no time.

Paint Them

If your sneakers are in wearable condition but look a little rough, whip out a brush and some eco-friendly paint.⁴

Painting works best with white sneakers but can really be done with any solid-colored athletic shoes. To get started, clean the running shoes. Then, remove the shoelaces and apply painter’s tape to any areas you don’t want the paint to touch. Finally, prime your surface and get to work.

Use your innovative canvas to display colorful scenery and designs. Don’t be afraid to express yourself!

This idea works well for young children who need an outlet for their creativity. Encourage them to paint a story (maybe about where those sneakers have been), and watch as their imaginations flow. They’ll be excited to show off their “new” kicks to their friends.

How to Repurpose Running Shoes With Your Community

If you truly want to make a difference, you’ll need to band together with the rest of your community. While you can influence positive change on your own, you’ll make a much more powerful transformation with others.

Explore these community-driven ideas, and take your green efforts to the next level!

Walkathon

Not only are walkathons effective peer-to-peer fundraisers⁵ for any cause, but they also serve as excellent opportunities for recycling running shoes. 

A running shoe drive fundraiser is a natural addition to any athletic event—especially walkathons. Once you’ve lined one up, encourage registrants (and spectators, too!) to donate their sneakers. You can even offer a discounted registration fee in exchange for a pair of gently worn, used and new athletic shoes. Whichever route you take, make sure to advertise well in advance, so participants know to bring a change of sneakers.

To fully immerse attendees, get creative with your walkathon’s theme.⁶ Leverage eco-friendly themes, such as:

• A paint walk that features environmentally-friendly powdered paint or chalk
  
• A costume walk that encourages participants to wear up-cycled Halloween costumes
  
• A nature hike where participants follow a well-kept trail in your community
  

Door-to-Door Campaigning

Nothing rallies up support quite like a good, old-fashioned door-to-door campaign.

Recruit a team of enthusiastic volunteers and get to work. It should be particularly easy if you’re part of a political organization or an environmental nonprofit that aims to promote a greener planet. 

First, partner with a running shoe drive coordinator so that you can trade the sneakers for cash. Then, assign each team to a neighborhood or two within the community. Team members will knock on every door asking for gently worn, used and new sneakers. All your motivated supporters will need is transportation, bags to hold the sneakers, and some strong hands to get the job done. 

This idea works considerably well because donors won’t have to leave the comfort of their own homes. In fact, you’ll likely receive many more donations than if you were to coordinate it with an event. 

Use this as an opportunity to spread the word about going green by encouraging people to take action right then and there. Chances are, they’ll know exactly which athletic shoes they’d like to give away but just need a little push to do so. Best of all, this is a great nonprofit fundraising method⁷ because it helps spread a positive, eco-friendly message associated with your cause.

Donate Your Soles

Even sneakers that are on their last legs don’t have to be thrown away. These athletic shoes, while unable to be re-homed, can still be put to good use. Bring the community together by having volunteers gather unwearable running shoes around local neighborhoods.

When donated to a dedicated program, running shoes that are falling apart can be recycled for their materials. Typically, the recycled materials are then used to create new athletic shoes or other clothing items.

If the collection goes well, consider making it an annual fundraiser, where you scour the community for old sneakers. A great day for this would be World Clean Up Day⁸ in September or America’s Recycle Day⁹ in November. When you choose a consistent date, supporters will come to look forward to it each year. They may even start hanging onto their unwanted running shoes just to show their support.

If your sneakers are still in wearable condition, consider bringing them into secondhand stores or donating them to an athletic shoe drive fundraiser. You can also continue wearing them until they can’t handle another mile. Then when they’re truly worn down, they can be donated for their parts.

From brand new sneakers to those that have run their last mile, there are innumerable ways to repurpose old running shoes.¹⁰ Hopefully, you found an idea here that works for your old athletic shoes. If not, use these ideas as inspiration for your craft, fundraiser, or community event.

Remember, when you get creative, the sky’s the limit. Don’t let your sneakers pile up in your closet or wind up in a landfill. Give them a new purpose with one of the unique ideas listed above today!

A Few Other Ways to Reuse Sneakers 

Resources

1. http://www.greenecoservices.com/11-tips-to-sustainable-shoes/
2. https://sneakers4funds.com/what-to-do-with-old-running-shoes/ 
3. http://www.greenecoservices.com/why-do-people-throw-away-good-stuff/
4. http://www.greenecoservices.com/top-69-eco-paints-and-stains/
5. https://blog.donately.com/peer-to-peer-fundraising/ 
6. https://sneakers4funds.com/walkathon-fundraiser-ideas/
7. https://www.soapboxengage.com/blog/1825-nonprofit-fundraising
8. http://www.greenecoservices.com/world-clean-up-day-is-september-21-2019/
9. http://www.greenecoservices.com/8-ways-to-celebrate-americas-recycles-day/
10. https://sneakers4funds.com/repurpose-running-shoes/

Author

Wayne Elsey is the founder and CEO of Elsey Enterprises (EE) and a member of the Forbes Business Development Council. Among his various independent brands, he is also the founder and CEO of Sneakers4Funds, which is a social enterprise that helps schools, churches, nonprofits, individuals and other organizations raise funds while helping to support micro-enterprise (small business) opportunities in developing nations.