Disposal and Recycling of Sneakers, Sandals, and Boots in the United States
Shoes typically contain a mixture of rubber, foam, leather, textiles, plastics, adhesives, and sometimes metal. These materials make whole shoes unsuitable for most curbside recycling programs.
Keep footwear in use through repair, resale, swapping, or donation whenever practical. For shoes that are no longer wearable, look for a specialty footwear recycler or take-back program that explicitly accepts their type and condition.
Choose the Right Option
Shoe condition | Preferred option | What to do |
Clean, dry, and wearable | Donate, sell, swap, or give away | Confirm acceptance and keep pairs together as instructed. |
Worn but repairable | Repair | Ask a cobbler about soles, heels, straps, zippers, and stitching. |
Clean but no longer wearable | Specialty footwear recycling, if accepted | Confirm the program accepts worn-out shoes, not just reusable donations. |
Sandals, boots, or specialist footwear | Repair, donation, or a program that specifically accepts them | Do not assume an athletic-shoe collection accepts other footwear. |
Moldy, pest-infested, or contaminated | Local waste-service guidance | Do not put these shoes in donation or ordinary footwear collection bins. |
Beyond repair and not accepted for recovery | Household trash | Follow local disposal requirements. |
Nonprofits That Accept Footwear Donations or Arrange Recycling
Donation and recycling are different. Some organizations distribute or resell wearable shoes, while others also arrange recycling for footwear that cannot be reused. Do not send worn-out shoes to a reuse-only program.
Nonprofit | Footwear accepted | How the program works | Important limits |
New and gently worn shoes in many styles and sizes, including sneakers, sandals, and boots | Collects footwear through donation locations, retail partners, shoe drives, and shipping options. Supports relief, reuse, and entrepreneurship programs. | Shoes should still be wearable. Check current donation, shipping, and preparation requirements. | |
Wearable shoes and other accessories, subject to local acceptance requirements | Generally resells donated items to support employment and community services. | Each local Goodwill sets its own rules. Do not assume damaged footwear is accepted for recycling. | |
Athletic shoes, with handling based on condition | Provides suitable shoes to community organizations and works with partners to recycle footwear that cannot be reused. | Primarily serves the San Francisco area through local collection partners and shoe drives. Confirm current locations and condition requirements. | |
New, unused shoes and sneakers | Distributes footwear to people in need in the United States and internationally. | Do not send used shoes without direct approval. Confirm donation arrangements first. |
These organizations provide donation opportunities in the United States, but some distribute footwear internationally. Availability, shipping costs, and collection arrangements vary.
Other Footwear Recycling Options
Not every shoe collection service is a nonprofit.
GotSneakers is a social enterprise that offers athletic-footwear collection programs for individuals, businesses, and fundraising organizations. Check current qualifying-footwear and condition requirements before participating.
Retailer and manufacturer take-back programs may accept selected footwear for reuse or recycling. Participation and restrictions vary by store and program.
Local running shops may host donation or recycling collections through outside partners. Ask which organization receives the shoes and whether it accepts worn-out footwear.
A take-back program does not necessarily recycle every collected shoe into new footwear. Ask whether shoes are reused, resold, processed into other materials, or otherwise handled.
Prepare Shoes for Donation
For organizations accepting used footwear:
Remove loose dirt and personal items.
Clean shoes according to their care instructions.
Let them dry completely.
Check that soles, straps, zippers, and closures are safe and functional.
Keep pairs together using the organization’s preferred method.
Confirm acceptance of boots, sandals, children’s shoes, cleats, and other specialist footwear.
Do not donate moldy, pest-infested, significantly contaminated, or structurally unsafe shoes for someone else to wear. Recycling programs may have different condition requirements, so check before sending damaged footwear.
Sandals and Boots
Sandals and boots may be suitable for repair or donation even when athletic-shoe recycling programs exclude them.
Consider:
Repairing straps, buckles, heels, soles, zippers, or stitching.
Donating wearable pairs to an organization that accepts the style.
Selling or giving them away through local resale or exchange platforms.
Asking a specialty collector about leather footwear, metal hardware, work boots, or insulated boots.
For safety footwear, consult the manufacturer before repairs or continued use if damage could affect its protective function.
Keep Shoes Out of Ordinary Recycling
Do not place whole shoes, loose soles, foam, insoles, laces, or mixed footwear components in curbside recycling unless your local program explicitly accepts them.
Do not cut shoes apart merely to separate their materials. Follow the receiving recycler’s preparation instructions, and avoid dismantling footwear with sharp hardware, contamination, or deteriorating foam.
Last Resort: Household Trash
If footwear cannot be repaired, reused, donated, or accepted by a verified recycling program, follow local household-trash instructions.
Contain loose fragments as your waste provider directs.
Do not leave unwanted shoes outside donation centers or beside full collection bins.
Ask your local waste authority about footwear contaminated with fuel, pesticides, solvents, or other hazardous substances.
Do not burn footwear at home.
Safety and Legal Notice
Notice: This article provides general educational information for U.S. households and is not legal advice. Donation, recycling, and disposal requirements vary by organization, municipality, shoe type, material, and condition. Confirm current instructions before dropping off or mailing footwear.
Only offer shoes for reuse when they are safe and accepted by the receiving organization. Do not assume a donation is tax-deductible or assign a deduction based solely on this article. Keep appropriate records and consult current IRS guidance or a qualified tax professional when needed.
Sources
Soles4Souls: Shoe Drive
https://soles4souls.org/shoe-drive/
Goodwill Industries International: Donate Goods
https://www.goodwill.org/ways-to-give/donate-goods/
Goodwill Northern New England: Acceptable Donations
https://goodwillnne.org/donate/acceptable-donations/
ReLace: Environmental Nonprofit
It’s From the Sole
GotSneakers: Impact Report
https://gotsneakers.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2022_IMPACT_REPORT.pdf
GotSneakers: Enterprise and Nonprofit Programs
https://gotsneakers.com/enterprise-nonprofit/