How to Donate Rubber Nike Athletic Shoes
Reusable grocery bags. Eco-friendly lipsticks. Energy-efficient homes. Everywhere we turn, it seems, manufacturers are finding ways to go green. But while most companies are simply cutting back on waste, Nike is promoting a green lifestyle on two major fronts: first, by making Nike sports shoes, and second, by turning used athletic shoes into Nike Grind sports surfaces. If your closet is filled with worn-out gym shoes, it might be time to gather them up for Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe campaign.
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Instructions
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Instructions
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Gather up to 10 pairs of your old athletic shoes from your closets, workout bag and gym locker. (Reuse-A-Shoe encourages supporters not to donate more than 10 pairs at a time to reduce the chance of overflowing donation bins.)
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Visit nikereuseashoe.com, go to "Get Involved" and click on the "Drop-Off Locations" link to find the Nike-approved drop off sites closest to you.
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Remove extra mud and debris from the shoes, and make sure they are dry. Nike does not accept damp or muddy shoes.
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Consider the option of mailing in shoes but, remember: Nike does not pay for postage and handling. To mail shoes, go to "Get Involved," click on the "Individual Shoe Recycling" link and download or copy the Nike Recycling Center mailing address.
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Tips & Warnings
1) Large groups such as schools and sports teams can organize host shoe drives or collect shoes at a 5k road race. If you'd like to host an event, go to "Get Involved" and click on "Group Shoe Recycling".
2) Nike prefers that you bring your shoes to a drop-off location rather mailing them. According to Nike's website, "This helps consolidate shipments to our facility, which results in a smaller carbon footprint for the program."
3) Reuse-A-Shoe accepts all brands of sports shoes, but the program does not recycle shoes with metal parts, mud, water or cleats. In addition, dress shoes, sandals and flip-flops are not accepted.
4) Nike has two main types of recycling plants. One uses a "slice-and-grind" technique, where each shoe is cut into three slices--rubber outsole, foam mid-sole and fiber upper. These slices are then fed through grinders and purified. The other process grinds shoes up whole, then passes the material through a series of complex separators.
5) The recycling plants produce three sports surfaces: Nike Grind Rubber, made from the shoe's outsole, is used in track surfaces, interlocking gym flooring types and playground surfacing. Nike Grind Foam, made from the shoe's mid-sole, is used as a cushion for outdoor basketball and tennis courts. Nike Grind Fiber, made from the shoe's fabric upper, is used in the creation of cushioning pads for facilities like indoor synthetic courts and wood courts.
