The unique feature of our sneakers lies in the sole, which is 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 THE END OF THEIR LIFE EVERY SECOND

RECYCLED TIRE SOLE SNEAKERS

Tires are non-biodegradable waste, with an average lifespan estimated at over 600 years. Every second, six tires reach the end of their life in Europe. This is the reality that led to the creation of the OTA "On The Asphalt" project.

The mass abandonment of end-of-life tires, at best in artificial landfills, at worst in nature, 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.

This 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 way by using this waste to make our soles.

MORE THAN 2 YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING BEFORE LAUNCHING THIS INNOVATIVE SOLE

A FRENCH SHOE BRAND THAT BRINGS USED TIRES BACK TO LIFE

Beyond our ecological ambitions, we chose this material for its strength and durability. Its very long lifespan allows us to equip our sneakers with a virtually indestructible sole, based on the principle that a tire that has done 50,000 kilometers on the road can easily do dozens on people's feet.

We conducted abrasion tests to compare our soles with those of other sneaker brands. Ultimately, our soles are between 20 and 50% less abrasive than traditional sneaker soles. These satisfactory results encourage us to continue pursuing our goal.

A PUNCTURE-PROOF SOLE

The second reason lies in the characteristics of the tire, its hardness and its longevity over time. The tire is a material with an almost unlimited lifespan and it seemed essential to us to give new life to this material to offer shoes that last over time .

Sustainable doesn't just mean "ecology" or "recycling"

Indeed, at OTA, we believe that "sustainable" doesn't just rhyme with "ecology" or "recycling," but also refers to the product's lifespan. A sustainable product is, in particular, one that wears out less quickly and can be worn for several years.

A SNEAKER GUARANTEED FOR 10,000 KM?

The Bet We wanted to test our sneakers. So, the team set themselves a challenge: wear an OTA sneaker for a whole year without washing or patching them up.  The Figures We take an average of 5,000 steps a day, or 5 km. This pair traveled 1,825 kilometers, the distance between the OTA sneaker's place of creation (Paris) and its place of production (Porto). Using a bicycle as a means of transport to get to our co-working space, this pair also traveled 2,640 kilometers by bike. The Result Apart from some signs of wear, the sole is almost intact.

Results confirmed by the CTC of Madeira

We conducted abrasion tests to compare our recycled tire sole to other soles on the market, and to see if the tire material is more resistant than others. Ultimately, our sole is between 20% and 55% less abrasive than other soles on the market.

Here are the results of tests conducted by the Technical Footwear Center in San Juan de Madeira, Portugal; this abrasion test consists of measuring the volume of sole lost after passing it over an abrasive roller. We obviously preferred not to include the names of the brands with which we conducted the test.

____________________________________________ Sole abrasion test ____________________________________________	_________________ Relative volume of loss in mm3 _________________
OTA ____________________________________________	80 _________________
White sneakers very popular on the market ____________________________________________	104 _________________
Sneakers with a natural rubber sole, very popular on the market ____________________________________________	110 _________________
Vibram soles ____________________________________________	114 ________________
Standard Army Rangers ____________________________________________	130 _________________
Synthetic rubber sole produced by one of the most important factories in Portugal ____________________________________________	152 _________________
Margom sole, presented as the Rolls Royce of soles ____________________________________________	174 _________________
Recycled rubber sole (70% recycled rubber / 30% synthetic rubber) _____________________________________________	199 _________________

 

TOWARDS A 100% RECYCLED SOLE

Wanting to go beyond the tire, we sought to combine this recycled tire material with another recycled material. Thus, we opted for recycled rubber for the sole structure. To do this, we relied on our zero-waste sole factory: all production waste is recycled in their own recycling plant so there is no waste. By reusing the tire and rubber, we offer an eco-responsible pair of shoes, we give a second life to polluting waste and take up the challenge of the circular economy.

So, OTA is, above all, a crazy bet: to help recycle the approximately 1.3 billion tires produced worldwide each year by offering innovative recycled shoes that break with convention.