Netherlands-based upcycling company DenimX collaborated with Rd4 Textile Sorting Center, packaging provider PaperWise, woven reinforcements maker Eurocarbon, and footwear and laces manufacturer Emma to create shoelaces made from recycled jeans.

Discarded jeans were deconstructed and combined with recycled polyester in the northwestern area of Europe to make a strong, durable yarn. More than 150 pairs of shoelaces were made from recycled denim.

Emma's safety footwear line includes laces for working professionals in a variety of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, food, and more. Emma Safety Footwear's protective sneakers will incorporate the first batch of repurposed shoelaces. The shoelaces can be purchased for 4.90 euros (about $5.50) for one set or 8.80 euros (roughly $9.90) for two sets on the DenimX e-commerce site. Gray or blue laces are offered.

After five years of extensive research and development of clever upcycling technologies, DenimX, which invented the concept for the laces, launched in February 2017.

Marc Meijers, the company’s director and owner, said that DenimX was founded on the desire to drive the world toward a circular future. The firms behind the repurposed shoelaces all share a similar goal. All of the companies that contributed to the development of this lace are involved in the circular economy. They keep important material waste from ending up in a landfill or incinerator.

Meijers added that tying laces is connected with making a long-lasting relationship. The partnership with five partners is an excellent example of how they will have to act in the future to achieve the transition to a circular economy.

Beginning with the Dutch Denim Deal in 2020, the Netherlands has served as a regional focus for circularity efforts in recent years. The agreement is a multi-stakeholder effort to boost the usage of recycled fibers in the fashion industry. By 2023, participating firms must create a total of 3 million pairs of jeans made with a minimum of 20% post-consumer recycled cotton, according to the agreement. Each company must use a minimum of 5% post-consumer recycled cotton in their denim lines. Scotch & Soda, Mud Jeans, and Kuyichi are among the participating Dutch denim brands.