Crocs to introduce bio-based material to footwear

Casual footwear brand Crocs is introducing a new bio-based Croslite material into its product lines to lower its carbon footprint.

The move is part of the company’s pledge to become a net-zero brand by 2030, as it targets a 50 percent reduction in its carbon footprint per pair of Crocs shoes.

At 3.94 kilograms carbon dioxide equivalent per pair of Classic Clogs, Crocs shoes already have a low carbon footprint, explains Crocs in a press release. The introduction of this new bio-based Croslite material will allow the brand to create lower carbon footprint footwear by modifying its existing products as opposed to creating a new and separate sustainable line.

Crocs have worked in partnership with Dow, a global materials science company, on what it calls its “shoe of the future”. The new shoes will incorporate new Ecolibrium technology that transforms sustainably sourced waste and byproducts into a shoe, while also ensuring that the shoe looks, feels and functions exactly like the Crocs consumers know and love, but with less carbon emissions.

Crocs to reduce its carbon footprint with new sustainable shoes

The casual footwear brand is the first to go to market with this technology. The bio-based material will be used in shoes that incorporate Crocs’ proprietary Croslite material, including its line of Classic silhouettes. The first sustainable Crocs will hit shelves around the world from early 2022.

Crocs chief executive Andrew Rees said in a statement: “At Crocs, we recognise the important role companies play in creating a world where everyone is comfortable in their own shoes.

“By starting with our iconic product, backed by a first-to-market solution, we’re taking a bold step forward to create lower carbon footprint footwear while making it inherently simple for our partners and consumers to join us on our journey to net zero.”

In July of 2021, Crocs announced its commitment to become a net-zero company by 2030, including addressing its entire value chain. In addition to introducing bio-based Croslite and becoming a 100 percent vegan brand by the end of 2021, Crocs is also exploring sustainable alternatives for its packaging and working on ways to give Crocs shoes a second life through consumer-led donations, recycling and re-commerce programmes.

In addition, Crocs is also investing in resource use, including transitioning to renewably sourced energy in its offices and distribution centres, as well as reduction efforts across the entire value chain by purchasing carbon credits to offset any remaining emissions, leveraging the most impactful sources available.