Dow and Crocs collaboration brings sustainability to footwear

Dow’s ECOLIBRIUM™ technology enables the development of the “shoe of the future” to help lower the carbon footprint of Crocs™’ footwear.

Manufacturers, brands, retailers, shoppers all have a role to play in reducing the impact of climate change. The fashion industry is aware of the effect their products can have on the environment and because of that are adapting to society´s needs by developing more sustainable products. At Dow, we want to help them embrace this change.

Dow and Crocs, a leading innovative, casual footwear brand, have announced an exciting collaboration to create shoes which balance environmental responsibility with comfort and style. Our team has played a key role in the co-development of the “shoe of the future” by supplying bio-based materials for use in Crocs’ manufacturing process to help the company to meet its sustainability goals.

Sustainability & innovation hand-in-hand

Crocs is transitioning to footwear that integrates new bio-based Croslite™ material. This solution uses Dow’s new ECOLIBRIUM™ technology, which transforms sustainably sourced waste and by-products from other industries, into plastics (which comes with a lower CO2 impact).

ECOLIBRIUM™ is our innovative approach to design and manufacturing which combines the ingenuity of materials science with the shared determination to do the right thing for future generations. And that’s why we are implementing bio-based renewable feedstock to produce plastics that customers, like Crocs, can rely on.

Enjoying footwear while lowering the carbon footprint

“We’re thrilled to be working with Crocs to help reduce the carbon footprint of its footwear,” said Diego Donoso, business president for Packaging & Specialty Plastics at Dow. “We’re continually looking to collaborate with like-minded companies, such as Crocs, to support with their carbon reduction goals and work towards more circular solutions. We know that consumers are increasingly demanding more sustainable products and paying careful consideration to where their goods come from and how they are made. So, it’s a very exciting opportunity for Dow to answer this consumer demand in a new way, while supporting the sustainability journey of a well-loved and iconic brand.”

Our collaboration has unified two brands in their journey toward carbon neutrality. At Dow, we are working towards reducing our net annual carbon emissions by 5 million metric tons by 2030, working with our customers to help them cut their emissions, embracing alternative feedstocks as well as many other solutions. Crocs aims to reduce the carbon footprint of its shoes by 50 percent by 2030, as part of their total commitment to becoming a net-zero company.

This collaboration is a great example of our commitment to both innovation and sustainability, made possible by an ingenious approach to design and manufacturing to ensure a better outcome for people, and the planet.