Hundreds of used sneakers arrive each week at a workshop east of Paris, where workers inspect them for resale, redistribution or rejection. The nonprofit SneakCœurZ says it collected 30,000 pairs of used sneakers last year and resold 2,000 pairs, and wants to scale up that process.
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Here's how to do itHis son died after a sextortion scheme. He's among many parents celebrating the rulings against MetaAt Pentagon Christian service, Hegseth prays for violence 'against those who deserve no mercy'Juez en EEUU sopesa si Venezuela puede usar fondos del gobierno venezolano para pagar su defensaIran starts to formalize its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz with a 'toll booth' regimeTrump interrupts a Cabinet meeting dealing with the Iran war and rising prices to talk SharpiesMax Verstappen demands journalist leave media session at Japanese Grand PrixWall Street falls to its worst drop since the Iran war as the Nasdaq sinks 10% below its recordScientists captured female sperm whales on video working together during a birth to protect the calfViral phenomenon in Argentina has young people identifying themselves as animalsA Medicaid 'spend down' may get an older person long-term care coverage but isn't a DIY strategyAt Middle Creek, timing and distance shape a photo of migrating geeseThe World in PicturesEPA approves sale of a higher-ethanol fuel to try to lower gas pricesSeven months later, the government still hasn't fixed CDC's shot-up windowsChallenging your brain helps keep it healthy. Here's how to do itHis son died after a sextortion scheme. He's among many parents celebrating the rulings against MetaAt Pentagon Christian service, Hegseth prays for violence 'against those who deserve no mercy'Juez en EEUU sopesa si Venezuela puede usar fondos del gobierno venezolano para pagar su defensaAt Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, hundreds of pairs of sneakers arrive each week at the workshop of SneakCœurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life. The shoes are collected through a network of partners, including drop-off points at the shop and workshop, schools, companies, recycling centers and local associations.Mohamed Boukhatem, co-founder and director of SneakCoeurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life, poses in Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. A worker uses a toothbrush to clean a used sneaker at SneakCoeurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life, in Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Salvaged sneakers for resale are stored in a bin at SneakCoeurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life, in Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Used sneakers are stored in a room of SneakCoeurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life, in Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. A worker sorts through used sneakers at SneakCoeurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life, in Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. At Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, hundreds of pairs of sneakers arrive each week at the workshop of SneakCœurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life. The shoes are collected through a network of partners, including drop-off points at the shop and workshop, schools, companies, recycling centers and local associations.Mohamed Boukhatem, co-founder and director of SneakCoeurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life, poses in Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Mohamed Boukhatem, co-founder and director of SneakCoeurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life, poses in Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. A worker uses a toothbrush to clean a used sneaker at SneakCoeurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life, in Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. A worker uses a toothbrush to clean a used sneaker at SneakCoeurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life, in Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Salvaged sneakers for resale are stored in a bin at SneakCoeurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life, in Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Salvaged sneakers for resale are stored in a bin at SneakCoeurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life, in Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Used sneakers are stored in a room of SneakCoeurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life, in Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Used sneakers are stored in a room of SneakCoeurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life, in Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. A worker sorts through used sneakers at SneakCoeurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life, in Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. A worker sorts through used sneakers at SneakCoeurZ, a nonprofit organization giving used footwear a second life, in Champs-sur-Marne, east of Paris, Wednesday, March 25, 2026. The nonprofit SneakCœurZ is in the business of sorting the shoes to check which ones can be resold or redistributed, and which have to be rejected. It says it collected 30,000 pairs of used sneakers last year and resold 2,000 pairs, and wants to scale up that process. “Today, there is no project of this scale in the sneaker sector,” said Mohamed Boukhatem, the organization’s director general and co-founder. “We are the only ones able to industrialize both the processes and the collection of sneakers for reuse.” The group’s work underscores a growing waste problem in France, where the capital Paris is long one of the world’s The stakes are huge: the textile industry is among the world’s most polluting, and the fashion and textiles sector accounts for up to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the United Nations. The European Parliament has said textiles were the third-largest source of water degradation and land use in the European Union in 2020. Refashion, the French government-approved eco-organization for clothing, household linen and footwear, says 259 million pairs of shoes were sold in France in 2024. It says only about a third of used textiles and footwear are separately collected, with much of the rest left in cupboards or thrown away with household waste. At its workshop in Champs-sur-Marne, workers for SneakCœurZ inspect the used shoes and check which can be salvaged. “The structural elements of the shoe are what determine whether we can refurbish it or not,” workshop manager Paul Defawes Abadie said. “A damaged Velcro strap isn’t a deal breaker. A lace isn’t a deal breaker. Dirt is never a deal breaker,” he said. “What really matters is the wear of the structural materials, especially the outsole.” Pairs that make the cut are cleaned from the sole upward, disinfected inside and, in some cases, whitened under UV light before being put back into circulation. The nonprofit says it redistributed more than 7,000 pairs to people in need and helped create 19 jobs. “Over the next three years, the goal is to triple or even quadruple these volumes and move to an industrial scale,” Boukhatem said.Its 2020 anti-waste law requires unsold nonfood goods to be reused, donated or recycled instead of destroyed. Authorities introduced a state-backed repair bonus for clothing and shoes in November 2023. Separately, lawmakers are still working on a bill aimed at The bill passed the National Assembly in March 2024 and the Senate in June 2025, and the government said in February that it was still aiming for a joint parliamentary committee this spring.Adamson is a foreign reporter based in Paris for The Associated Press. He covers European politics, culture and style. He has reported across the continent in an over two-decade career.Live updates: Trump delays Strait of Hormuz deadline as Wall Street has biggest loss of war
Paris Apparel And Accessories Manufacturing General News Recycling Nonprofits United Nations France Government Paul Defawes Abadie Climate And Environment Mohamed Boukhatem Politics Business World News Climate World News
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