On’s New Subscription Service Allows You to Recycle Your Shoes — Here’s How You Can Participate

Peter Verry
·2 min read

With brands continuing to focus on sustainability, Swiss running brand On has revealed its latest eco-friendly initiative, a subscription-based recycling service involving fully recyclable sportswear.

Sticking with its cloud theme, On said the service — which is called Cyclon — is inspired by the circular weather system of the same name that is characterized by spinning clouds. Naming it Cyclon, the brand said, will emphasize “the circular nature of the service and the powerful impact it will have on the sportswear industry.”

On stated the service will give subscribers the opportunity to receive and wear its latest running sportswear releases and then return them in exchange for the newest version. The brand will then recycle the products by using the materials to create new gear after the used item is received.

Given On’s rising stature in running footwear, the brand is starting the service with a road-ready shoe — which is also named Cyclon.

The Cyclon running shoe is lightweight and is equipped with plush, energy-returning cushioning. It features more than 50% bio-based materials made from castor beans, which On said represents its commitment to reducing its reliance on virgin petroleum-based materials.

“Making a fully recyclable, performance running shoe is a huge accomplishment, one that we’re immensely proud of — but we went a step further,” On co-founder Olivier Bernhard said in a statement. “We wanted to show that sustainability and performance go hand in hand. The subscription service enables runners to not only receive one of the highest performing shoes we’ve engineered, but to continuously receive the best and most up-to-date shoe technology coming out of our lab.”

On co-founder David Allemann added, “We built Cyclon to be a sustainable solution in every sense — from an environmental perspective, as a business opportunity and for the benefit of our runners. In engineering our sustainable product technology, we haven’t sacrificed performance. We’ve enhanced it.”

Interested customers in select countries will be able to sign up for Cyclon today at On-running.com/cyclon for a deposit of $30. The Cyclon running shoe will be available exclusively through the subscription service 2021.

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