The sports brand On Running was born in Switzerland, surrounded by the mountains that experience the effects of climate change every year. On Running makes running shoes and clothing from sustainable materials and is driven to further reduce its environmental impact. For example, they use data to determine sustainability priorities.
Materials
Research has shown that On Running’s materials are responsible for as much as 80% of their carbon footprint. That’s why the brand makes materials their priority.
Running shoes materials
On Running’s running shoes are made of polyester and polyamide. These come from fossil fuels, which further warm the climate. The brand is fortunately aware of this, and aims to gradually replace its polyester and polyamide with a 100% recycled variety. In this way, the brand is able to reduce its CO2 emissions, energy consumption and waste.
Yet recycled polyester is still harmful to the environment when it ends up in the landfill. On Running is therefore thinking even more ambitiously and would like to get rid of fossil fuel-based materials completely. To do so, they are looking for natural alternatives such as bio-synthetic fibers. On Running is determined to use more sustainable materials in the future, and we at COSH can only applaud that!
Clothing Materials
On Running’s clothing today consists of a mix of different fibers. The well-fitting running shorts are made of a blend of polyester and elastane. Both man-made materials, which leave microplastics behind when washed. The sports t‑shirts consist of 80% polyester and 20% lyocell (a sustainable variant of viscose). The waterproof raincoats are fortunately free of perfluorinated and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFC ). These harmful substances are often found in backpacks and raincoats.
On Running is also currently exploring ways to improve the materials used in their sportswear and running outfits. For example, they are experimenting with the possibilities of converting tree bark into pulp and fiber.
In addition, the brand already partially uses Tencel™ (a sustainable alternative to viscose) in its sportswear. This fiber in fact requires less water and processing with chemicals.
Other materials that On Running would like to implement in their clothing are castor oil and sugar cane. The sportswear brand is working with the HIGG index and Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) to make sure they are choosing the best possible options for the future.
Ethical
Any new supplier to On Running must recognize and commit to the Supplier Code of Conduct. This code of conduct is aligned with International Labour Organization (ILO) standards and the Ethical Trade Initiative to ensure good working conditions.
Since On Running is still a relatively small company, they know their suppliers personally, so they have built strong partnerships over the years. The brand is also currently looking at joining industry collaborations such as the Social Labor Convergence Program (SLCP).
On Running recognizes that overtime is an issue in the industry, not only with production, but also with themselves. Therefore, On Running’s planning teams work closely with suppliers to predict demand in advance, and smooth it out during peak production periods. In this way, they try to strive for a better work-life balance for everyone.
The brand also wants to give back to the community. On Running is a proud sponsor of the Athlete Refugee Team. The brand also encourages its employees to volunteer one day a year.
Circular Economy
At On Running, they think about the lifespan of their clothing and shoes. For the Cyclon running shoe, the brand works with a mix of artificial and bio-based materials, which can be recycled afterwards. The brand has created a subscription service for this purpose. When your old shoe wears out, you can order a new pair and send your old ones back for recycling.
On Running monitors their carbon emissions according to the GreenHouseGas Protocol. By joining the ScienceBasedTargets initiative, the Swiss brand committed to reducing their CO2 emissions in line with the Paris climate targets.
The brand takes several actions for this, For example, the packaging of the shoes are made of 100% recycled cardboard.
