The special feature of our sneakers is the sole made from an innovative recycled material: tires. Each sole is cut directly from a used tire, making it unique. Just like you.

 6 TIRES REACH END-OF-LIFE EVERY SECOND

RECYCLED SNEAKERS WITH TIRE SOLES 

Tires are non-biodegradable waste, with an average lifespan estimated at over 600 years. Every second in Europe, 6 tires reach the end of their life cycle. This is the background to the O.T.A "On The Asphalt" project.

The mass abandonment of end-of-life tires, at best in artificial dumps, at worst in the wild, is a real scourge for the environment. Every week, we receive messages from garages and car wreckers who no longer know what to do with the tires piling up under their sheds. 

The growing number of calls is a perfect illustration of the need to find new solutions for end-of-life tires. We wanted to help in our own small way, by using this waste in the manufacture of our soles.

 OVER 2 YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING BEFORE LAUNCHING THIS INNOVATIVE INSOLE

 

 

 

FRENCH SHOE BRAND GIVES NEW LIFE TO USED TIRES

In addition to its ecological ambitions, we chose this material for its strength and durability. Its long lifespan means that our sneakers have an almost indestructible sole, based on the principle that a tire that has done 50,000 kilometers on the road can easily do dozens more on people's feet.

We carried out abrasion tests to compare our soles with those of other sneaker brands. In the end, our soles are between 20% and 50% less abrasive than conventional sneaker soles. Satisfactory results which encourage us to pursue our objective. 

A PUNCTURE-PROOF SOLE 

The second reason lies in the characteristics of the tire, its hardness and longevity over time. Tires are a material with an almost unlimited lifespan, and we felt it was vital to breathe new life into this material in order to offer durable footwear. 

 Sustainability doesn't just mean "ecology" or "recycling".

AtO.T.A., we believe that "sustainable" is not just about "ecology" or "recycling", but also about a product's lifespan. A durable product is one that wears less quickly and can be worn for many years. 

 

A SNEAKER WITH A 10,000 KM WARRANTY?

Le Pari  We wanted to test our sneakers. So the team set itself a challenge: wear an O.T.A sneaker for a whole year without washing or patching them.  Figures We take an average of 5,000 steps a day, or 5km. This pair has covered 1,825 kilometers, the distance between the place of creation (Paris) and the place of production (Porto) of the O.T.A. sneakers. Using a bicycle as a means of transport to get to our co-working space, this pair has also cycled 2,640 kilometers.  The result  Apart from a few traces of wear, the sole is almost intact.

 Results confirmed by CTC Madeira 

We carried out abrasion tests to compare our recycled tire sole with other soles on the market, and to see whether tire material is more resistant than others. In the end, our sole is between 20% and 55% less abrasive than other soles on the market. 

Here are the results of tests carried out by the Centre Technique de la Chaussure in San Juan de Madeira, Portugal; this abrasion test consists of measuring the volume of sole lost after passing over an abrasive roller. Of course, we've chosen not to list the names of the brands we tested. 

____________________________________________ Sole abrasion test  ____________________________________________	_________________ Relative volume of loss in mm3 _________________
O.T.A  ____________________________________________	80 _________________
White sneaker widely available on the market  ____________________________________________	104 _________________
Sneakers with natural rubber soles, very popular on the market ____________________________________________	110  _________________
Vibram soles ____________________________________________	114 ________________
Standard Army Rangers  ____________________________________________	130 _________________
Synthetic rubber sole produced by one of Portugal's leading factories ____________________________________________	152 _________________
The Margom sole, billed as the Rolls Royce of insoles ____________________________________________	174 _________________
Recycled rubber sole (70% recycled rubber / 30% synthetic rubber) _____________________________________________	199 _________________

 

 

 

 

TOWARDS A 100% RECYCLED SOLE

 

Wishing to go beyond tires, we sought to combine this recycled tire material with another recycled material. So we opted for recycled rubber for the sole structure. To achieve this, we relied on our 0-waste sole factory: all production scraps are recycled in their own recycling plant, so there's no waste. By reusing tires and rubber, we offer a pair of eco-responsible shoes, giving a second life to polluting waste and taking up the challenge of the circular economy.

O.T.A. is above all a crazy bet. To help recycle the 1.3 billion tires produced worldwide every year, by offering innovative recycled shoes that work on conventions.