With a one-stop service from materials to sales, Feebees enables its sock sneakers to be continuously recycled, creating a new industry model and putting a stop to waste generation.
In the traditional footwear industry, producing a pair of shoes involves approximately 200 intricate steps. Feebees has streamlined this process to just 3 steps through innovative material selection and product design. Furthermore, they promote sustainability by recycling old shoes into new ones.
Material Selection and Product Design
Recyclable nylon is used to create the circular knitted socks that make up the body of Feebees sock sneakers. This creates very little waste, with a scrap rate of only 2%, and makes it possible to complete a pair of uppers in 10 minutes. In addition, their sole is made of PU foam material that can be refilled. Feebees socks and soles are all made in one piece. Because of this, no glue is used between the sole and the upper. This approach eliminates the need of baking and gluing processes, while also minimizing the mixing of other materials during shoe recycling. At the same time, this reflects the product’s ultimate goal: the feeling of walking barefoot.
Feedback Mechanism: Turning Old Shoes into New
Feebees encourages consumers to exchange old shoes for new ones through a rebate program. Once collected, old shoes are automatically sorted, processed, and recycled through a patented recycling machine. The recycled materials are then used to make the next pair of shoes.
Streamlined Modular Production Process
Feebees operates compact production lines within small-scale factories, enabling production on demand upon receiving orders. This has significantly reduced lead times in the footwear industry from six months to as short as one month or even one week. Modular production also allows for direct order fulfillment from the manufacturing location, reducing manufacturing carbon footprints and transportation costs.
Feebees sock sneakers are moving from small-scale production towards mass production. They are planning strategic collaborations with various industries to map out future production locations. This initiative aims to optimize factory output and simplify the production process in collaboration with industry peers, thereby reducing overall industry consumption.
Benefits
- All Feebees products have undergone carbon footprint verification. Each pair, from toddler shoes to adult athletic sock sneakers, has carbon emissions ranging from 5.91 to 6.27 kilograms, reflecting a 60% reduction compared to traditional footwear manufacturing.