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Roger Federer Affiliated Brand, On Running, Debuts Environmentally-Friendly Program

Formerly ranked as the number one men’s singles tennis player in the world, Roger Federer has become the face of, and a major shareholder in, activewear brand On Running. The sportswear brand was launched in 2010. Since then, the brand has grown to have a net worth that is estimated to be in the billions. Now, On Running has launched a new environmentally friendly initiative that is designed to reduce fashion waste.

Source: On/YouTube

Fashion, particularly cheaply made fast fashion, has a huge negative impact on the environment. The fashion industry emits huge amounts of greenhouse gasses, is water intensive, and is known for polluting waterways. Additionally, 85 percent of discarded clothes end up in landfills. Washing plastic-based fabrics can also cause microplastics to enter the environment.

To help alleviate some of these effects, On Running has debuted its circularity program. This program is called Cyclon™. Currently, there are two items available as part of this new environmentally friendly launch.

The CloudNeo™ is a running shoe that is described as “lightweight, agile and super responsive” on the On Running website. Amazingly, the shoe is made of beans – specifically castor beans. Available as a subscription only, you pay a monthly fee for these shoes. However, when one pair wears out, subscribers simply let the brand know to send a new pair. Once the new pair is received, they send back the old shoes which are recycled. This helps keep old sneakers out of landfills by giving them a second life.

The second item available through the Cylon™ program is called the Cyclon-T™. This “sweat-wicking” T-shirt is also made from castor beans. Simply purchase the T-shirt through the On Running website. Then, when the Cyclon-T™ is at the end of its use, send it back to the company. On Running then recycles the T-shirt into new products.

According to the Cyclon™ webpage, this program represents On Running’s first step towards “a fossil-fuel free future where every On product is engineered for circularity.” Circularity refers to reusing products by repurposing or recycling them rather than throwing them away. The materials used to create the CloudNeo™ shoes and the Cyclon-T™ help to further that mission. Both the sneakers and T-shirt are made from one material called PA11. Since this is the only material, it streamlines the recycling process when compared to regular running shoes which are made of up to 40 different materials.

The Cyclon™ program represents a growing fashion movement towards sustainability. However, fashion waste is still expected to increase by 60 percent between 2015 and 2030. Embracing slow, regenerative fashion can help to curb some of this waste. Cyclon™ is one brand’s step towards embracing this philosophy. The CloudNeo™ shoes are currently available on On Running’s website for a monthly subscription of 29.99 USD. The Cyclon-T™ is available on the site for purchase at 89.99 USD.

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