Carnival Launches Shoe Recycling Program Across U.S. Fleet

Carnival Cruise Line has teamed up with Sneaker Impact to introduce a footwear recycling program across its fleet of ships operating in the United States.

Under the new initiative, shoes that passengers leave behind and do not claim are collected alongside footwear voluntarily donated by guests and crew members.

The shoes are then transported to Sneaker Impact’s facility in Miami, where they are assessed and processed. The program aims to prevent unwanted footwear from being sent to landfills and instead find more sustainable uses for it.

According to Carnival, the collaboration marks the first partnership of its kind between a cruise company and the Miami-based organization.

“We’re always looking for new ways to reduce waste and strengthen our sustainability efforts,” said Benton Lobo, vice president of compliance and environmental operations.

In July, with just five of our ships offloading shoes, we kept more than 500 pairs out of landfills in a single month. Scaled across our full fleet, we see the potential to give new life to about 50,000 pairs of shoes. It’s proof that a small idea can add up to a real impact, both onboard and in communities around the world.”

Sneaker Impact uses its sorting process to determine the most environmentally responsible option for each pair of shoes it receives. Footwear that remains in wearable condition is made available to small business owners in developing countries. These businesses can then resell the shoes to generate income.

Shoes that are no longer suitable to wear are instead broken down for recycling. Materials recovered during this process can be reused in products including athletic surfaces, yoga mats and footwear components.

Sneaker Impact is honored to partner with Carnival Cruise Line, as they share our commitment to sustainability and making a positive impact. Together, we’re making it easy for guests to give their unwanted footwear a second life through reuse and responsible recycling. We’re excited to see how many pairs of shoes, and lives, we can impact together,” noted Moe Hachem, CEO of Sneaker Impact.

The footwear recycling program is the latest initiative announced as part of Carnival’s wider efforts to reduce its environmental impact. It follows the company’s recent decision to increase its greenhouse gas reduction target, now aiming to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity by 25 percent by 2029 compared with its 2019 baseline.