From Worn In to Worn Out: What To Do With Old Shoes

With around 22 billion pairs of shoes heading to landfill each year, it turns out it’s not just Carrie Bradshaw with a shoe problem.

Maybe they get worn down, or you just get sick of them. Whatever the case, there’s no reason to leave them languishing on the shelf or chuck them in the trash—where they could spend up to four decades breaking down.

So what’s the responsible answer to the age-old problem of what to do with old shoes? While there isn’t a sole solution, if you tighten your laces, we’ll run you through the options.

For something visual, watch our video below for 7 simple and sustainable ideas on what to do with old shoes and clothing before they end up in landfill.

Donating can seem like the easy solution when you’re trying to figure out what to do with used shoes, but check the shoes thoroughly before you drop them off. If they have a hole, are missing a sole, or look otherwise past their useful life, the odds are high that any thrift store will trash them. Goodwill had to send out a plea begging people to stop “donating” their trash.

If you can’t picture another person wearing the shoes or if they need serious repairs to be functional, don’t make them a thrift store or charity organization’s problem.

And if your shoes still have life in them, clean them up before donating them so that organizations will have an easier time finding a new owner. As it is, an estimated 90% of donated items don’t get resold.

When deciding where to donate old shoes, consider a more specialized charity like Soles4Souls, which focuses on diverting new and gently used shoes and clothes from landfill to people who need them most.

Bottom line: If you’re parting with a pair of shoes because you’re tired of them or they don’t fit your style or feet, donating them to a charity or thrift store can give them a second life. But if you’re trying to figure out what to do with broken shoes, save your local organization the hassle of trashing your old shoes and keep reading for a better fit.

If you have shoes you just no longer love, or running shoes that you didn’t wear much because they rubbed in the wrong place, they might still hold some value.

If your shoes are in good shape, donating them isn’t your only option. You could also turn them into a buck or two for yourself. Eco and budget-conscious shoppers are increasingly turning to platforms to sell clothes online and to snag items they want. If you take advantage, you know your old kicks are going somewhere wanted.

Of course, this option is better for dress shoes or like-new athletic shoes than for your worn-out old sneakers.

Selling them on is also a good option for old kids’ shoes. Kids’ feet grow so quickly that they may only have been worn a few times.

If the issue is the shoe’s wear, not its style, consider getting it repaired. You might be surprised at how much a cobbler can do. Generally, shoe-fixing professionals can repair:

• High heels
• Loafers
• Flats
• Dress boots
• Work boots
• Some running shoes
• Sandals

This gets especially handy if you’re considering parting with the shoe because of a bad fit. If it pinches your toes or rubs at your heel, a cobbler may be able to stretch or otherwise modify it to give you a better fit (depending on the material). Finding a local cobbler is ideal, but if you don’t have access to one nearby, you consider sending them in to a mail-in repair service like Coblrshop.

Alternatively, some brands offer repair services for shoes they made, though you generally need to have purchased a shoe from the specific brand to take advantage of their repair offering, so keep this in mind when shopping for new shoes. Some brands we recommend include:

• VYN’s self-repair model
• GORAL’s REBUILD+ service
• Vivobarefoot’s repair services
• NuShoe’s repair and rebuild services for running shoes

If you didn’t think that far ahead when you bought your shoes a few years ago, and your local cobbler can’t help, keep solediering on below.

Recommended: Our Guide To Repairable Shoes

As you’re figuring out how to dispose of old shoes, start asking friends about their shoe sizes. Maybe even keep a note in your phone of friends with similarly sized feet.

Once you have a few old pairs you’re tired of wearing, organize a shoe swap. Tell people to bring their running shoes, boots, dress shoes, flats—anything they’ve got lying around. Those shoes you’re sick of might be the perfect fit for a friend’s wardrobe update.

And since everyone’s will hopefully be at least gently used, you don’t have to worry about breaking in a new pair.

Now it’s time to get creative when considering what to do with worn out shoes and think about what you could turn them into that’s (almost) as functional as footwear. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Fill an old boot with stones, sand or plaster to make a doorstop or bookends.
• Virtually any shoe can be a planter (i.e., a rain boot for herbs, a flat for a succulent garden)
• Worn-out sneakers can be made into a quick birdhouse by nailing the sole to a tree and dropping some birdseed in the toe.
• Use sturdy boots to hold garden tools, paintbrushes, or even kitchen utensils.
• Large sneakers or boots stuffed with fabric scraps can become chew toys for dogs or a cozy resting spot for small pets like cats or rabbits.
• Tall boots can double as quirky entryway stands for umbrellas, walking sticks, or rolled-up tote bags.
• Old shoes can be painted, decoupaged, or repurposed into quirky wall art or conversation-piece décor.

As with any upcycled clothing project, creativity is key. Look at your specific pair of shoes. If you like the look of the whole shoe, that can spin off into a myriad of projects. If not, evaluate how you could use the materials in the shoe if you deconstructed it. You might find the perfect materials for your next project.

Shoes are often made of a variety of high-quality components, so even if the thing as a whole isn’t good to you, chopping it up and using what can is still better than throwing it all away. It might feel crazy to cut into what was once a perfectly good pair of shoes, but if they’re now past their useful life, this option can be better for the planet—and your craft supply budget.

Here are a few ideas to get your wheels turning:

• Cut up the foam from flip-flops and the soles of running shoes to make coasters.
• Reuse laces as sturdy ties around the house or as ribbons for gift wrap.
• Cut the outsoles into small pieces to place beneath the legs of furniture to help keep it in place and prevent floor scratching.
• Attach the whole sole to a fabric or foam base to create durable, waterproof kneeling pads for gardening.
• Reuse eyelets, buckles, and other hardware in sewing projects, creating custom bags, or repairing other items.
• Use rigid heel counters for added structure in DIY projects, such as creating decorative items or reinforcing bags.
• Strip leather from leather boots and shoes to cover a journal, make a keychain, create a phone case, make patches for other leather goods—you get the idea.

Are shoes recyclable?
Yes! Most shoes can be recycled, but not in your household or curbside recycling bin. Shoes are made from mixed materials (rubber, fabric, leather, foam), so they require specialized recycling programs.

Can shoes be recycled curbside?
No. Because most shoes are created from several materials melded together, standard recycling facilities aren’t equipped to handle them. Tossing them in the recycling bin qualifies as wishcycling: a well-intentioned behavior that hampers effective recycling processes. Such contamination may lead to entire bins of otherwise perfectly recyclable goods being thrown away.

Instead, you’ll need to take them to a dedicated shoe recycling program or return them to the brand.

Brand Recycling Programs

Before looking elsewhere, check with the shoe’s manufacturer. Many ethical shoe brands now run take-back schemes or closed-loop recycling programs, which give your old shoes the best chance of being recycled efficiently and sometimes into a new pair of shoes.

Brands with shoe recycling programs include:

• LANGBRETT
• On’s subscription-based Cyclon™ program
• VEJA stores accept old shoes for recycling.
• Thousand Fell rewards you with store credit when you return their old kicks to them.
• The Virtuous Circle Program by Nothing New offers $20 off a new pair for recycling your old ones.
• Native Shoes take-back their own used shoes for donating, recycling, and material repurposing.

Third-Party Recycling Options

If your brand doesn’t have a take-back program, TerraCycle offers a Shoes & Footwear Zero Waste Box (ships in the US, UK, and Australia). Fill the box with as many shoes as you can, then send it back for processing. Consider pooling with friends or family since the boxes are large and paid.

Where to Recycle Old Shoes in the USA, UK and Australia

Other than the above options, there are country-specific shoe recycling services to explore:

United States

• Nike Reuse-A-Shoe / Nike Grind: accepts athletic shoes (any brand) and recycles materials into playground surfaces, tracks, and new products.
• GotSneakers: free sneaker recycling program that collects worn athletic shoes for resale or material recovery.
• American Textile Recycling Service: Donation bins across the US that accept shoes and clothing; unusable items are recycled for materials.
• Simple Recycling: free home pick-up for clothing and shoes donations. Those that can’t be rehomed are recycled for their materials.

United Kingdom

• Recycle Now: UK-wide network of recycling banks and centres that accept shoes/boots for recycling (search by postcode).
• Shoe Aid: collects unwanted footwear for recycling and redistribution, aiming to reduce landfill waste.
• Schuh “Sell Your Soles”: trade in old shoes at Schuh stores for recycling and receive a £5 voucher. They recycle through Got Sneakers.
• Local council textile banks: many councils provide clothing & shoe collection points; check your local authority’s website for details.

Australia

• TreadLightly (ASGA): nationwide program with collection points at major sports retailers for worn-out athletic shoes, slides, and trainers; materials are broken down and reused.
• Recycle Mate: searchable tool to find nearby collection sites that accept shoes for recycling.
• Upparel: mail-in and home pickup service accepting shoes in any condition (fee applies), with store credit through partner retailers.

This one can get tricky, but if you know the brand of shoe you’re working with, you can probably find the information you need to determine whether it will work. For a shoe to be compostable, it needs to be made entirely of natural materials that will break down. That seems obvious, right?

You might not consider how the shoe is held together, though. If it’s bound by specific types of glue or some synthetic material, it can’t be composted. That means your running shoes and high heels probably aren’t a candidate here.

But if you have single-material options—like all-wool sustainable slippers from Baabuk or Nootkas—you can possibly make this work.

Some shoes may be mostly single material but may have a rubber or leather sole. While both are natural and biodegradable, it won’t break down quickly enough in a home composter, so in this case, remove the outsole with a pair of pliers.

Check with the manufacturer. AURA QUE, for example, says their felted wool slippers can be composted once you remove the thread.

While it might not help you with the old shoes you have on hand now, knowing you can buy shoes designed to be composted can help next time you’re shoe shopping. We hope to see more compostable shoes on the market as more brands consider sustainable end-of-life options for their shoes.

Brands like BLUEVIEW already make 100% biodegradable shoes, and Vivobarefoot is developing a made-to-order, 3D printed, recyclable, and by some accounts, a compostable shoe (though as of late 2025, it looks like they’re not there yet).

Still wondering what to do with old shoes that cannot be donated? Or what to do with broken shoes but don’t have access to a recycling service?

If you’ve exhausted all other options, the best way to dispose of them is to put them straight in the trash. This option should only be used as a last resort and a good reminder to choose your next pair wisely.

What can I do with shoes that can’t be donated?
If shoes are too worn for donation, look for recycling programs like Nike Reuse-A-Shoe, TerraCycle, or Australia’s TreadLightly. Many of these break down materials like rubber, foam, and textiles to be reused in new products such as playground surfaces or gym mats.

How do I recycle running shoes?
Running shoes are highly recyclable because of their rubber soles and foam midsoles. In the US, Nike and GotSneakers accept athletic shoes of any brand, while in the UK Schuh’s “Sell Your Soles” program takes trainers. In Australia, TreadLightly provides collection bins nationwide at sporting goods stores.

Where can I recycle old shoes near me?
Local recycling options vary. In the UK, check Recycle Now or council textile banks; in Australia, search via Recycle Mate; in the US, use American Textile Recycling Service bins or Simple Recycling pickups. Always check the program’s guidelines to confirm what types of shoes they accept.

Is it better to recycle or upcycle old shoes?
Both are sustainable. Upcycling keeps shoes useful in creative ways (like planters or doorstops), while recycling recovers materials for new products. The best choice depends on the shoe’s condition: reuse if possible, recycle if not.

Final Thoughts On What To Do With Old Shoes

For the Carrie Bradshaws of the world, shoes are life. For others, shoes are a function. Whatever shoes are to you, they’re an essential part of your wardrobe.

But they also play an unfortunate role in filling our landfills. To do your part in minimizing the decades-long landfill ramifications here, find the best option for your old shoes—and while you’re at it, your old clothes and old bras and underwear—so you can responsibly send them off into the sunset.

If you know a shoe-aholic, share these solutions with them so they, too, can be inspired to point their toes toward sustainability. And who knows, if you’re the same shoe size, you might benefit from the shoe swap they’re going to plan!

Editor’s note: This article was first published in January 2023 and has been updated multiple times since. The most recent update was in September 2025 to include new recycling programs, additional upcycling ideas, improved FAQs, refreshed images, and restored sections lost in a previous site update.