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TYRE WASTE CRISIS
Sneaker production is highly carbon-intensive, with 23 billion pairs made annually, contributing 1.4% of global emissions—equivalent to 66 million cars. Their complex design and materials make recycling costly or impossible, leading to over 22 billion pairs in landfills each year.
Compound Footwear addresses this waste crisis by using some of the 600,000 motorsport tyres discarded annually, which are usually incinerated after each race, or even just a few laps. Compound aims to change this by re-engineering this waste motorsport tyre rubber resource to create our unique range of sustainable, motorsport inspired footwear .
SUSTAINABILITY
The environmental impact of tyre waste is staggering, with the motorsport industry alone discarding over 600,000 tyres each year. This is just a fraction of the global figure, where 1.5 billion tyres are used annually. With the rise of electric vehicles, which are heavier and place greater strain on tyres, this number is set to increase significantly. At Compound Footwear, we see this as both a challenge and an opportunity.
By repurposing discarded tyres into high-quality, stylish footwear, we contribute to reducing this immense waste. Our shoes make a powerful statement, showcasing that sustainability and fashion can go hand in hand. Each pair not only embodies eco-conscious innovation but also stands as a desirable, sexy addition to anyone’s wardrobe, proving that environmental responsibility can also be exceptionally chic.
THE COMPOUND MISSION
At Compound Footwear, we transform waste from the motorsport industry into something extraordinary: sustainable, high-end footwear. By repurposing tyres once destined for disposal we create a new standard in fashion—one where sustainability meets style. Our commitment goes beyond design; we’re dedicated to reducing reliance on virgin materials and embracing circular production. With every pair of Compound shoes, we offer more than just a product—we offer a story of innovation, community, and responsibility, reshaping both fast fashion and motorsport – one step at a time.
MOTORSPORT INSPIRED
Compound Footwear uniquely blends subtle motorsport inspirations with sustainability, creating footwear that stands out for its innovative use of recycled motorsport rubber soles. As the only brand utilising motorsport rubber in its shoes, Compound ensures high performance and durability. Each pair is crafted from recycled materials, maintaining a commitment to circularity and eco-friendly practices. Compound focuses on the lifecycle of its products, offering a recycling programme to ensure that our shoes are sustainably re-purposed after use. This holistic approach underscores Compound’s dedication to both style and environmental responsibility.
TACKLING TYRE WASTE
The motorsport industry generates significant tyre waste, with hundreds of thousands of tyres discarded after each race season. This not only contributes to environmental pollution but also poses a waste management challenge. Compound Footwear's mission is to address the waste streams of the motorsport and shoe industry through innovative recycling practices. By creating footwear made from recycled race tyre rubber, Compound offers motorsport and sneaker fans a chance to wear a piece of their favourite drivers' and teams' race history. This approach reduces waste and introduces innovative, stylish footwear that embodies the spirit of motorsport sustainability.
SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLED FABRICS
At Compound, our commitment to sustainability extends beyond footwear to our entire clothing range. We exclusively use sustainable and recycled fabrics, ensuring each garment minimizes environmental impact. This approach helps us reduce the carbon footprint of the fashion industry while still delivering innovative designs to our community. By creating new garments from recycled materials, we not only provide stylish options but also contribute to a more sustainable future, proving that fashion can be both cutting-edge and eco-friendly.
RICH MOTORSPORT HERITAGE
The Compound family boasts a rich and diverse background in motorsport. Compound Footwear founder Alex Witty grew up surrounded by motorsport as his father, Chris Witty, has been in the motorsport world for over five decades since he started as a freelance motorsport journalist as a teenager.
Chris became Editor of Autosport magazine, then set up his own F2 race team. He was then Commercial Director of the F1 Toleman team in the 1980’s, working closely with Ayrton Senna, Pat Symonds and legendary designer Rory Byrne, ran a championship-winning offshore powerboat team, was Commercial Manager of the Ford World Rally team and Eddie Jordan’s F3000 team, worked with Zytek in LMP2 and also dabbled in the America’s Cup.
Chris’s extensive experience and industry connections make the Compound family pivotal figures in motorsport, contributing to the success and credibility of Compound Footwear's mission to revolutionize sustainable, motorsport-inspired footwear.
FAST CARS
SLOW FASHION
At Compound, we are deeply committed to sustainability, which is why we manufacture our products to order. This approach significantly reduces waste by ensuring that we only produce what is needed. To facilitate this, we take pre-orders for exact sizes before releasing new shoe designs. Currently, our shipping process for garments operates within a two-week period, allowing us to manage inventory efficiently while minimizing environmental impact. This method aligns with our mission to create eco-friendly footwear and apparel without contributing to the fashion industry's waste problem.
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- James Snelgrove, Innovate UK EDGE South West
I am delighted to have supported Compound Footwear on its commercialisation journey. They are a fantastically innovative company, trail-blazing the use of recycled motorsport materials into sustainable fashion and creating new circular economy pathways within the industry.
- Stuart Pringle, Managing Director, Silverstone
As the home of British motorsport, we have a responsibility to lead the way with smarter methods of working and are looking to collaborate with partners on new and innovative ideas to help build a sustainable future for our industry. Compound Footwear’s solution to sneaker and race tyre waste along with its mission to create a greener future in motorsport is commendable and we are delighted to be supporting their initiative.
- Stephane Bazire, Head of Business Sustainability, Silverstone
We need more and more of these innovative, sustainable solutions in the world of motorsport. It's great to work with such an innovative business like Compound to create a greener future within our industry.