Publicis One Transforms Chewing Gum into Sneakers

We all know how annoying it is when a wodge of spat-out Wrigleys gets stuck to your shoe - but what if the shoes themselves were made of gum?

That's the idea behind Gumshoe - which isn't, as the name would suggest, some shady private detective service, but an innovative new range of sneakers featuring soles made from recycled gum.

A joint initiative between non-profit organization Amsterdam Metropolitan Area and Publicis One Netherlands' agencies (Leo Burnett, MSL and Publicis), the project aims to improve the city’s image and reputation with cleaner streets as well as raise awareness of the chewing gum littering issue. And it's no small problem: every year, some 1.5 million kilos of the sticky stuff finds its way on to the streets of the Netherlands (not to mention people's shoes), with clean-up operations running into millions of euros. 

Working with a specialized company, Gum-Tec, gum collected from the streets is transformed into a rubber compound that's then moulded into the soles of sneakers, designed by up-and-coming local label Explicit Wear. And hey presto: new kicks which not only look good but boast impeccable green credentials to boot.

"Amsterdam is a city to be proud of and a city that we want to keep clean," said City Council member Marijn Bosman. "The municipality cannot do it alone, and that is why we embrace creative initiatives such as this to keep the city clean and livable. The challenges of pollution can also be the engine of innovation. Gumshoe is a good example and helps to drive awareness of the chewing gum problem in our city in a creative way." 

Get your hands on the Gumshoes, which come in a range of colours, at Hudson’s Bay and online.