Best and easiest way to make a really eco-friendly sneak, would be to design one with a heel you can replace by snapping a new one in and out.

http://remyc.com/snaponheel.html

Heels are the first things to go in a sneak, if you run… Heels wear out before anything else, either left, or right, depending on which way your feet prone.

People chuck out their sneak when they’re still perfectly alright, except for the back heel, that’s worn down to the bone. If you run a lot, especially on paved roads, that act like sand paper on the back of your heel, you’re lucky to put in 300 miles on a single pair… If you run 5 miles a day, that means you’re throwing out 6 pairs a year… when you could easily just replace the heel, and be good to go for another 300 miles.

I tried shopping the idea to all the sneak companies, Nike, Puma, Balance, etc… they look at me like, are you crazy? Which leads me to think that sneak companies are not interested in going green, just looking as if they’re going green, as long as people buy more sneaks as soon as they wear out.

Remember there used to be a time when you went to the shoe repair shop and had new heels put on? Now only cowboys do that… and rich folk with $400 Gucci loafers. The rest of us have buy and throw out shoes… or invest in a tube of Shoe-Goo and rubber soul workshop.