Old ski boots to be given new life
Ski boot brand Tecnica has said it hopes to collect at least 7,000 pairs of used boots this coming winter has part of an initiative called Recycle Your Boots (RYB).
Winter sports enthusiasts in Italy, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Spain, Norway and Sweden have the opportunity, on buying a new pair of Tecnica ski boots at any of 150 retail partners that Tecnica works with, to hand over an old pair for recycling.
Using funding from the European Commission’s LIFE programme (an environment and climate action fund), and working closely with partners that specialise in logistics, materials recycling and academia, Tecnica will break the old ski boots down into their component parts. It will then use the materials to make new boots and ski equipment.
The Montebelluna-based company has said it believes the idea of preventing used boots from going into landfill and, instead, becoming part of a process to make new products, will appeal to ski enthusiasts around the world.
It aims to extend the programme to other European countries and to North America in the future.
