Wonder what's in your shoes?

How many of us think about plastic before wearing our shoes? Well, it doesn’t even come to our minds that we are consuming plastic for every new pair of sneakers we buy for ourselves or for our family! Most of those shoes are partly, or in many cases completely, fabricated from plastic and plastic-like materials. Either in the form of squishy soles or pointy heels or the knit uppers, plastics have entered our lives in ways we don't even see them!

Fast fashion trend is not just limited to clothes. Did you know that worldwide, more than 20 billion pairs of shoes are made each year, with over two billion pairs sold in the U.S. alone. On an average, that’s more than seven pairs per person each year filling up American’s closets, piling up near doorways, and eventually making their way to the trash! For a family of let's say 4 people, we are talking of throwing more than 25 pairs each year by one household! Doesn't that sound crazy?

Having variety is great sometimes but it's better to invest in good quality so we don't throw them as often. If they still have some life left, please consider donating to people who need them instead of just discarding them. These days there are also companies who take them back and recycle them to continue to use them in alternate ways like making playgrounds.

There are also companies doing an amazing job in making shoes from recycled plastic and other sustainable materials. You can give them a try if you haven't yet.