Puma has transformed the concept of the shoebox with it’s recyclable boxes, turned plastic packaging on its head, even overhauled its signature suede sneaker. But the German sportswear manufacturer has its sights on a loftier goal, a line of apparel and footwear that would be content to retire among coffee grounds, eggshells, and carrot peels.

We are confident that in the near future we will be able to bring the first shoes, T-shirts, and bags that are either compostable or recyclable to the market,

Franz Koch, Puma’s CEO, told German business magazine Wirtschaftswoche on Friday.

Puma is working with external partners to develop products based on cradle-to-cradle principles, according to Koch, who succeeded Jochen Zeitz in April.

Sustainability, Koch said, can be approached either in one of two ways: the technical (say, the use of recycled tires for soles) or the biological. In the biological cycle, I can make shoes and shirts that are compostable so I can shred them and bury them in the back garden, he added. We are working on products that meet these two criteria.

We look forward to hearing more about this exciting new venture for Puma!

HIT FROM: Ecouterre.com