This time, we spoke with Mr. Shuhei Tanaka, Manager of the Marketing Section, Planning Department at Converse Japan Inc., about the "converse e.c.lab" series, which approaches global environmental issues.

"ALL STAR and JACK PURCELL are products with high customer demand, for which we are grateful. We wanted to make these fashionable items a natural approach where 'wearing them is actually eco-friendly,' and so we launched 'converse e.c.lab' in 2019. While it may not be as large a movement as the SDGs, our hope is that sneakers that people pick up, think are 'stylish' or 'cool,' and incorporate into their daily lives can contribute even a little to the global environment."

They reportedly went through repeated trial and error to determine what approach Converse could uniquely take for sustainability and ecology, and the initial planning stages were challenging.

"Many people own multiple pairs of Converse's ALL STAR or JACK PURCELL, and many switch between them to match their outfits. In other words, I believe they have the perception of sneakers as being like T-shirts. That is Converse's strength. Therefore, we considered giving them the same kind of communication power as T-shirts. It would be ideal if ALL STAR and JACK PURCELL could serve as a medium to introduce materials from manufacturers who create various sustainable materials."

What they showed us were products made from recycled plastic bottles and textiles dyed using a project called "Nokorizome" (leftover dye). The fabric used for the upper part of the sneakers had distinctive features.

In 2022, they plan to release products using various materials, such as recycled fabric from plastic bottles and leather tanned using natural agents without chemical agents in the process of turning hides into leather.

They will also release products that use dyes made from the leftover liquid from squeezing fruit juice for making juice, such as blueberries, or the boiled liquid of mugwort after making kusa mochi (grass mochi), for the upper fabric, and also products using materials mindful of fair trade.

"The ALL STAR and JACK PURCELL made with hand-woven fabric by artisans from Burkina Faso in West Africa have a wonderful texture and unique color palette that I believe will be appreciated for their design appeal and incorporated as fashion. We believe it's important that it becomes eco-friendly without people realizing it. By taking various approaches each season, we hope to promote diverse materials."

In ALL STAR and JACK PURCELL, the sole is bonded to the upper using a vulcanization process. This is a method where the upper and sole are bonded together under heat and pressure of approximately 100 degrees Celsius.

"CONVERSE began in 1908 as a manufacturer of rubber shoes (rain boots). The town of Malden, Massachusetts, where the business started, had deep snow in winter and was a center for agriculture and forestry at the time. Thus, it began with rubber shoes, which were in demand. In various processes of sneaker production, rubber scraps are generated. These would normally have to be discarded, but we mix them into the outsole material. If you look closely, you'll see what look like fine, colored threads mixed in. This is the recycled rubber."

Recycled materials are used not only in the soles but also in unseen parts.

"There's a reinforcing material for the heel called a counter. We use recycled material from fishing nets for this, and for the insoles, similar to the outsoles, we use 'Ortholite Recycled,' which incorporates recycled polyurethane. We aim to create products with as little environmental impact as possible, even in the details."

These environmentally conscious products tend to have higher material costs than standard ones, and consequently, their selling prices are also raised. However, a charm of Converse is that ALL STAR and JACK PURCELL, being originally reasonably priced, do not reach excessively high price points.

Furthermore, a new service connecting users and the brand began on November 15, 2021.

"Following the 'converse e.c.lab' initiative, we launched a repair service to foster greater attachment to ALL STAR and JACK PURCELL among our customers. This is to enable them to wear their favorite shoes for longer. While we can only service genuine domestic products, we offer a total of four types of services: heel repair, side tape repair, and full sole repair."

"Sole wear repairs are done in conjunction with label replacement. Also, the lifting of the rubber on the sides is a weakness of ALL STAR and JACK PURCELL, albeit a minor one. This is unavoidable with the vulcanization process, but we repair it."

"We develop original adhesive and use a last to firmly press and bond the sole. Additionally, the 'ALL STAR COUPE' model, which debuted in 2018, allows for full sole replacement."

From new products to repairs, Converse's eco-friendly initiatives. Visit a store, see them in person, try them on, and experience their innovation.