NNormal Launches “Take Back Box,” a New Initiative to Recycle Trail Shoes at the End of Their Life Cycle

November 2025 - Every month, the sports industry produces millions of pairs of shoes. A significant portion of them—more than 22 billion pairs per year, according to Fashion for Good, a leading platform in sustainable fashion—end up in landfills, where they can take centuries to decompose.

NNormal, the sports equipment brand founded by Kilian Jornet and Camper in 2022, has set out to address this problem from a broader perspective. In addition to its various initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact, all aligned with its philosophy YOUR PATH, NO TRACE, the company is now introducing a new recycling program as part of its ongoing commitment to advancing the global challenge of circular economy.

Take Back Box: the brand’s new recycling program

NNormal has launched Take Back Box, a free collection and recycling program specifically for NNormal shoes that have reached the end of their useful life.

The initiative focuses on NNormal products because each model is designed with its “second life” in mind, making it easier to transform them into new materials or items. For now, the recovered material will be used to produce boxes made from recycled rubber, although the brand is already evaluating additional applications for more versatile, everyday uses.

Customers will be able to return their shoes either at selected physical stores or through the company’s website, which will manage the pickup at no additional cost.

First steps toward leaving no trace

As part of its commitment to minimizing environmental impact, NNormal collaborates with FastFeetGrinded, a Netherlands-based company specializing in converting used footwear into reusable materials. The brand then works with XCLSV in developing prototypes and manufacturing new products using these materials.

The most recent outcome of this process is the creation of the first Take Back Boxes, made entirely from recycled shoes and used in stores as containers where users can drop off their own pairs for future recycling.

Durability and product life cycle

Durability is one of NNormal’s core principles. The brand has been conducting specific tests to measure real-world wear of its shoes in various conditions and distances, with the results published in the durability reports for each model.

When a model presents minor damage, NNormal offers a lifetime repair guarantee through the global network of Vibram-certified cobblers. Additionally, when the outsole wears out but the midsole and upper remain in good condition, the product can be resoled to extend its usable life.

These measures pursue a clear objective: produce less, extend the lifespan of every product, and reduce the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing new materials.

An initiative that requires collective participation

Although the project marks a significant first step, NNormal emphasizes that recycling can only be truly effective if carried out at scale.

“We encourage our community to actively participate by returning their shoes at the end of their life cycle. We also invite other brands and industry players to get involved in this process, with the aim of scaling it and turning it into a shared circularity model,” says Luis Sito Salas, CEO of NNormal.

Each returned pair avoids ending up in a landfill and helps move toward a future in which running could become a fully circular activity.

Bringing full circularity closer

With Take Back Box, NNormal takes a tangible first step toward a more responsible product model. Although several challenges remain before achieving a fully optimized system, this initiative brings the brand closer to its goal of designing, producing, and managing its shoes in a way that keeps environmental impact to a minimum. Circularity thus becomes one of NNormal’s top priorities, guiding both the development of new products and the brand’s commitment to its community and the broader industry.