12 März 2026 |
In a footwear industry built on endless reinvention, circularity often remains an abstract promise. With the new NEOTIDE sneaker — launching March 6 as ASICS SportStyle’s second circular model — the brand turns to its own archive of waste as material, reframing what innovation can look like.
The cycle begins with the collection of old, defective and unsold ASICS products from across the EU. These are disassembled and processed by Dutch recycling specialist Fast Feet Grinded, ground down and reconstituted into new compounds. The reworked materials resurface in multiple components — including soles and laces — before key stages of production take place in Portugal. The final form is then shaped in Amsterdam in collaboration with the experimental footwear design collective Studio Hagel. Circularity there is not treated as ornament, but as structure: embedded organically rather than displayed.
For founder Mathieu Hagelaars, the challenge was not simply to incorporate recycled content, but to let processes reshape form. Rooted in ASICS’ belief that physical wellbeing and environmental responsibility go hand in hand, the NEOTIDE takes inspiration from landscapes transformed by snowfall. The result is a smoother, more voluminous reinterpretation of the iconic GEL-NYC, with a softening of its familiar lines.
Innovation, in this context, becomes a question of how far a familiar form can be pushed without losing itself. We spoke to Hagelaars about designing within circular constraints, material suggestion, and whether sustainable design needs to look different at all.
Your work often begins as an experiment. Did the recycled material ever suggest design solutions you hadn’t initially considered?
Absolutely. We always start with a strong concept and story. After that, we begin sketching without taking any limitations into account. During the development process, we encountered multiple failures and tests that didn’t work out the way we wanted. That’s the moment you need to be flexible and change plans while still keeping the initial concept alive. We see this as a puzzle that we need to solve. It’s not the easiest, but we always solve it.
Which components of the NEOTIDE are made from recycled ASICS material?
Almost all of them. The midsole and outsole contain a percentage of ground ASICS shoes, and even the laces are woven from yarn made from old pairs. We also focused a lot on making materials that you don’t immediately recognize as recycled. As a result, we’ve significantly increased the percentage of recycled material to 39.4% of the total weight of the shoe.
Did collaborating with a global brand like ASICS change the way you approach experimentation?
Not really. ASICS approached us precisely because of our experimental mindset and aesthetic language. Of course, there are boundaries — you have to understand the framework — but our way of thinking and working remains the same. The collaboration was about pushing within those parameters.
You’ve spoken about snowfall as inspiration. How did that influence the shoe’s shape?
We stayed very close to our initial concept. Snowfall simplifies the landscape, but it also exaggerates silhouettes and shapes. This is exactly what we did with the GEL-NYC. We took its main characteristics, simplified them, and made the silhouette bulkier, as if it were covered by a layer of snow.
Movement plays a central role in ASICS’ philosophy. When you picture someone wearing the NEOTIDE, who are they — and where are they going?
They’re taking a step into the future.
In your opinion, should a sustainably designed product look visibly different?
No. The focus should always be on creating something desirable. Think of visiting a museum: you stop in front of a piece because it catches your eye. Only afterwards do you read the story behind it — and that story deepens your connection and makes you fall in love even more with the artwork. Sustainability should work the same way. It should be felt before it is read.
Text GIULIO POLVERIGNIANI
