The Elche Bench That Has Moved a Lot in a Previous Life

The City Council of Elche inaugurated a new bench on Friday in the Traspalacio area. It is made from recycled material from more than 300 pairs of shoes from the local footwear industry.

This is an action to promote sustainable solutions within the framework of the first Elche Footwear Week. This innovative project involves local companies and promotes the circular economy by valuing footwear waste for the creation of pavements and urban furniture. Last year alone, more than 83 million pairs of shoes were manufactured in Spain, and only 5% were recycled.

The inauguration was attended by the mayor, Pablo Ruz; the Minister of Innovation, Industry and Tourism, Nuria Montes; and the Councilor for Economic Promotion, Training and Employment, Samuel Ruiz, among several members of the municipal government and representatives of the local footwear industry.

Ruz stated, "This is the path to follow, innovation, and this element is a light that shows us where we need to go in the future regarding recycling. It is very positive that more than 300 pairs of shoes have a future as urban furniture, something that speaks of future and hope."

The new bench has been created with leather and textiles recovered from footwear and symbolizes the complete life cycle of a product in the same city, from production to recycling. The project responds to the growing European demand for municipalities to implement selective collection systems for textiles and footwear before 2025. The regulation requires developing ways to valorize these wastes, and this demonstration positions itself as a success story. This shows how the footwear sector can contribute to a transition towards a more sustainable economy.

"It is a very important day for Elche because today we leave a mark with one of our most rooted industries, such as footwear," said Samuel Ruiz, who also added, "We hope that the bench, created with footwear figures, will be for the use and enjoyment of all the people of Elche and visitors who increasingly come to our municipality."

For her part, the Minister of Innovation, Industry and Tourism, Nuria Montes, noted that "a revaluation of waste can lead to the manufacture of urban elements, pavements, coatings, and give a second life to footwear, something tremendously important." She also assured that the Valencian government "will always be on the side of entrepreneurs who are able to visualize what the industry demands framed in the sustainable development goals."