Last week On Running announced the launch of its world-first, subscription-based service to bring fully recyclable sportswear to the running community worldwide. The subscription service, named Cyclon, will allow subscribers to receive and wear the latest in running sportswear and then return end-of-life products back to On, in exchange for the latest version. Once the used item is returned, it will be fully recycled by On, who will reuse the materials to create new running gear.
Some of you will remember Salomon launched their shoe Index.01 to debut in the spring of next year and we are waiting to see how this will come to market, how many collection points at so on. On’s subscription service takes this one step further and from the wording, this will go beyond a standalone product and be an ecosystem of products. Now don’t get confused like I did, the shoe, that very white shoe is also called the Cyclon (see below) which will be the first product available, however, this is the start of a sustainably constructed, sourced and recycled product line.
Will this be a pivotal change in how we purchase use sports kit moving forward?
Well, products in general?
Being the first to market could be considered a brave move, given in a world where the expectance of transparency is ever growing and the means to find out have never been more abundant, it will be interesting and I do genuinely mean interesting, to see how On implement their circular economy and furthermore, continue to lead the field. The Cyclon subscription service incentivises customers to participate in On’s sustainability initiative and actively contribute to the brand’s commitment to drive zero waste.
“The Cyclon service is a groundbreaking new way to become more sustainable, while also ensuring the running performance is never compromised for our customers,” explains On Co-Founder Caspar Coppetti. “Customers who sign-up today will be the first ones to get the latest in sustainable running technology.”
The brand’s chosen name for the service, Cyclon, is inspired by the powerful circular weather system characterized by spinning clouds, emphasizing the circular nature of the service and the powerful impact it will have on the sportswear industry.
The first product to be released as part of the Cyclon service will be a fully recyclable, high-performance running shoe – also named Cyclon. At under 200 grams | 7 oz, the Cyclon is ultra-lightweight and engineered to perform to elite level competition. The Cyclon’s energy return and plush cushioning characteristics are among the highest within the On product range.
“Making a fully recyclable, performance running shoe is a huge accomplishment, one that we’re immensely proud of,” says On Co-Founder Olivier Bernhard. “But we went a step further. We wanted to show that sustainability and performance go hand in hand. The subscription service enables runners to not only receive one of the highest performing shoes we’ve engineered, but to continuously receive the best and most up-to-date shoe technology coming out of our lab.”
Created from over 50% bio-based materials made from castor beans, the new Cyclon shoe will not only be a flagship product for innovation in sportswear design and circularity but will also represent On’s ongoing commitment to reducing reliance on virgin petroleum-based materials.
“We built Cyclon to be a sustainable solution in every sense – from an environmental perspective, as a business opportunity and for the benefit of our runners,” said David Allemann, On Co-Founder. “In engineering our sustainable product technology, we haven’t sacrificed performance. We’ve enhanced it.”
For a deposit of £25.00, customers in select countries worldwide (including the UK for my home grown early morning tempo brigade) can sign up for Cyclon starting today at on-running.com/cyclon. The shoe will be available exclusively via the subscription service in the latter half of 2021.
If youre wondering how many pairs of Cylons you can have in a year
“We expect the Cyclon running shoe to provide you with unmatched performance up to 400km (1,000 laps around an athletics track or almost 2.5 Mont Blanc Ultra Marathons). That’s a lifespan of around 6-9 months so we’re happy to exchange your shoe twice a year“
For those wondering more about the shoe, I’ll be posting a feature in the coming weeks. More details keep getting posted onto On Running’s website about said shoe and I know a lot of mile munching vest wearers are wondering how this will stack up against their beloved kicks that have been known to cripple their bank balance and wear down pretty dam quick, only to be discarded, with no outsole left. Aside from an environmental stand point, could Cyclon also help break the financial barrier for many, given a shoe often is north of £100, then add clothing and so on….
Let me know what you think. Is a subscription based recyclable product the future?
For more info on Cyclon CLICK HERE
This is not a sponsored post or paid advertisement – press release supplied by Aspire PR
James Mackeddie 