Amorim and Primal Soles mark first official slippers collection for recycling
Industrial Circularity in action
BlogOn July 2, 2025, Amorim Cork Solutions welcomed Primal Soles to mark an important milestone: the first official collection of slippers for recycling. In total, 2,500 pairs were recovered, representing 230 kg of material. This initiative marks the beginning of a long-term partnership committed to giving products a new life and promoting circularity across industries.
From the earliest design phase, Primal Soles slippers were conceived with their end of life in mind. This allows the recovered materials to be reintegrated into the manufacturing of new products. In this way, footwear industry waste is transformed into new value, reducing environmental impact and reinforcing the commitment to a circular economy.
Pioneering Results
Collaboration with Primal Soles has already delivered tangible outcomes. Together with Hotel Jakarta and Hunter Amenities, the world’s first fully circular recycling process for hotel slippers was completed. In just two months, 2,324 used pairs were collected and returned from Hotel Jakarta. On July 2, this milestone was witnessed at Amorim’s facilities in Mozelos, Portugal, where the slippers were transformed into cork granules that will be used to create new products.
According to Jeremy Even, Co-Founder of Primal Soles, the entire recycling operation, carried out in close collaboration with the Amorim team, was flawless.
"Their expertise, professionalism, and commitment to circularity were present at every stage, and Amorim’s support has been instrumental in proving that true circularity in hospitality is not only possible, it is already happening.”
“It is a privilege to work side by side with world leaders in cork innovation”
Looking ahead, Primal Soles expects to sell more than 100,000 pairs of slippers in 2025 and forecasts reaching 300,000 pairs in 2026. For Jeremy, this growth underlines the need for a paradigm shift: “for far too long, hospitality has treated slippers as disposable, generating huge volumes of plastic waste. At Primal, we see this as both an opportunity and a responsibility to redesign the system. Thanks to partners like Amorim, we can provide a solution that ensures comfort and convenience while radically reducing environmental impact. We are setting a new standard for the industry, based on innovation, collaboration, and commitment to a circular future.”
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Driving Through Collaboration
"This initiative shows how collaboration can drive real impact,” says João Queirós, Circular Economy Business Development Manager at Amorim Cork Solutions. “With Primal Soles, we are creating a value chain that integrates circularity from product design to end of life"
About Primal Soles
Primal Soles is a Dutch startup founded in 2021 by David Even. The company developed the first truly circular cork insoles, 100% recyclable and with a negative carbon footprint. Built on a strong environmental commitment, Primal Soles created a fully circular value chain where used products are collected, recycled, and reintegrated into the production cycle. Their insoles combine comfort and environmental responsibility, being antibacterial, lightweight, moisture and temperature regulating, and reflect an innovative and conscious approach to the footwear sector.
The company is backed by André Hoffmann, and its team was further strengthened by Samuel Hess, Co-Founder of Drip Agency, who joined as both an investor and the new Head of B2C, supporting Primal Soles’ growth and consumer reach.
For more information, visit Primal Soles website.