Care of the environment is central to the concept of the new Neocurve from ASICS, billed as “a sneaker that champions circularity without sacrificing design or performance using ground deadstock and defective shoes to create a wearable from waste.”
Representing a step in the circular design process, ASICS Sportstyle created the Neocurve sneaker using ground deadstock and defective shoes, creating a wearable from waste. The Neocurve, created in collaboration with Dutch design house Studio Hagel, has a streamlined silhouette influenced by the speed races on the Salt Flats in a retro color palette.
“For our concept, we always wanted to innovate but at the same time stay true to the brand,” explains Mathieu Hagelaars, creative director of Studio Hagel. “We went through all the catalogs at the ASICS European head office dating back 35 years and selected the styles that resonated with us.
“From there, we started playing and experimenting to see how far we could push the concept to create something new and innovative,” he continues. “We were also working with completely new factories, new techniques and materials that we’d never worked with…working with those ingredients to cook up a new shoe that had to breathe and feel ASICS, alongside meeting the brand’s standards of comfort and quality, was the biggest puzzle, but we did it and it’s been a great ride.”
To accomplish this, ASICS partnered with Fast Feet Grinded, a footwear recycling company based in the Netherlands. The company disassembled discarded footwear, separating materials for reuse to bring the shoe’s design to life.
When creating the Neocurve, ASICS continued its commitment to localizing production and reducing CO2 emissions. Everything occurred in Europe, from collection and disassembly to design and manufacturing, minimizing the environmental footprint associated with global supply chains and reinforcing its commitment to sustainability.
- Collection: Old, defective, or unsold ASICS inventory from the EU
- Disassembly: Carried out by Fast Feet Grinded in the Netherlands
- Production: Recycled materials and shoes manufactured within the EU
- Design: Crafted by Studio Hagel, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Distribution: Exclusively available in the EU through direct-to-consumer and select wholesale channels.
“The Neocurve project began with a simple question: Can we create something new from what we would otherwise throw away?” adds Hidetoshi Muraoka, head of Circular Economy projects at ASICS Corporation. ”We wanted to create a circular economy in which people can enjoy sports and fashion with as little burden on the environment as possible.
“Despite our best efforts to reduce waste – through optimized production, digital samples and donation programs such as ‘Right To Play’ – some products still end up as unsellable deadstock,” Muraoka continues. “This sneaker takes a stand, proving that those materials can have a second life.”
ASICS began collaborating with Fast Feet Grinded in 2020 to develop ways to recycle shoes. In 2023, the ASICS Circular Economy Promotion Department expanded on this by creating a shoe made from ground footwear, resulting in the Neocurve — a sneaker that champions circularity, without sacrificing design or performance.
The Neocurve sneaker is available exclusively in Europe on the ASICS website and at select European retailers.
