Our Approach​ Toward Circularity​

According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation report, over 70% of materials used to make clothing around the world are landfilled or burned at the end of their life. We believe in quality products that last and are loved. Only at the functional end of their lifecycle they should be discharged. We therefore support a circular economic model in which resources are saved and recycled instead of wasted though incineration or landfill. 

Waste management

Waste is a key element in advancing our circular approach. We strive to reduce waste generated from our business activities and maximise its value by promoting recycling, recovery and reuse, with the aim of using it effectively as a raw material for products.

To date, a significant proportion of our waste (87% in 2025) has been recycled or reused. Since 2025, we have also been transitioning from conventional incineration to converting waste plastics from sample products generated during footwear planning and production into fuel, strengthening our resource circulation efforts in Japan.

Furthermore, we are enhancing inventory management based on sales data to prevent excess inventory. At the same time, we recognize that our current data collection can be more comprehensive. We use a cloud-based database to collect and manage waste data and will continue to enhance both its accuracy and coverage.

We will continue to work with authorised waste contractors to ensure appropriate treatment. We also conduct regular documentation reviews to confirm that these contractors meet our standards and comply with relevant laws and regulations, striving to maintain and strengthen our management systems.

Materials management

Our ASICS Materials Guideline provides guidance for making ethical, compliant, clean and sustainable choices in product development and sourcing. It covers materials such as animal- based materials, PVC and conflict minerals. The guideline also includes specific guidance on recycled materials traceability, vegan friendly products, and sustainable packaging, including the Global Recycled Standard (GRS).

Packaging
We aim to eliminate single-use plastic throughout the supply chain; where plastic is necessary, we consider reducing the amount used, replacing it with recycled plastic, and switching to more sustainable substitutes. We also aim to reduce packaging materials, and we recommend FSC- certified or recycled paper when using paper.

bluesign® system
bluesign® is a holistic system promoting a common set of standards for sustainability and traceability in textile manufacturing. We already work with many manufacturers that are bluesign® system partners, and in the future aim to buy our materials almost exclusively from bluesign® system partner suppliers.

ASICS Materials Guideline Focus Subjects
・No use of endangered or exotic species.
・Animal welfare to be respected and good animal husbandry shall be applied.
No use of fur.
・All leather and skin shall be by-products of the meat industry.
・No down and feathers obtained through live plucking or from farms practicing force feeding.
・Wool shall originate from suppliers who do not apply mulesing practices.
・No use of Mohair (Angora goats) and Angora Wool (Angora rabbits)

Conflict materials
・No use of conflict minerals (tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold) Restricted substances
Restricted substances
・No use of AFIRM Restricted Substances.
・No use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
・No use of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs).
・No use of substances restricted by laws and/or regulations in the country or region of distribution.

NEOCURVE ™

As part of our circular business initiatives, we are advancing efforts to utilize used products and materials that would otherwise be discarded. In 2024, a new sneaker called NEOCURVE™ was developed using shoes that were scheduled to be discarded without being used.