Land to Market works directly with farmers, ranchers and other raw material producers using Ecological Outcome Verification™ (EOV), the science inside of Land to Market, which measures land health and verifies whether farmland is in a state of regeneration or degeneration. EOV™ was developed by the nonprofit, Savory Institute, together with Michigan State University, Texas A&M,  The Nature Conservancy and others.
In looking at the sneaker industry and the waste created by the constant production of sneakers, Sneaker Impact recognizes that brands are attempting to become better and they are improving how their products are created. New Balance has a program currently named Green Leaf Standard. In that program the shoes they are producing, in all honesty, aren’t very green. They are better, but when a company claims sustainability and their shoes are still made with virgin materials, we like to say they are becoming better at EXLOS (extending the life of sneakers), but not sustainability. There is a considerable difference, and we hope that brands are paying attention and adjusting their approach to the nomenclature and terminology being utilized.
This new program being implemented by New Balance picks up where the Green Leaf Standard falls a bit short, “In 2023, New Balance will introduce a new product made with leather from verified regenerative ranches and is actively working on plans to scale its sourcing further across the supply chain. Products with the Land to Market verification seal contain materials sourced from farms and ranches showing positive environmental outcomes through EOVâ„¢.”
While this program is an additional step in the right direction, the roll out will take some time. We admire New Balance for continuing to add to their better method of make strategy and hope that they will continue to improve. Use the links throughout this post to read more about Land To Market and New Balance.
If you have sneakers you need to recycle take a second to request a bag and we will handle the rest.
