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BioMoGo midsoles include a non-toxic, natural additive that exponentiallyincreases the rate of biodegradation by encouraging anaerobic microbes tobreak down nutrients into reusable byproducts. While traditional EthyleneVinyl Acetate(TM) (EVA) midsoles can last up to 1,000 years in an enclosedlandfill, extensive tests have proven that BioMoGo can biodegrade in roughly20 years when placed in the same environment. By using BioMoGo in its shoes,Brooks will save nearly 30 million pounds of landfill waste over a 20-yearperiod.
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Although the application of BioMoGo technology to footwear involvesvaluable intellectual property, Brooks decided at the outset that it wouldtreat its new midsole discovery as an "open source" innovation and share itwith other footwear manufacturers and interested industries.
"Environmental stewardship is an important business pillar for Brooks, andwe're committed to creating products that help preserve and, wheneverpossible, enhance the environment," said Jim Weber, president and CEO ofBrooks. "Sharing BioMoGo presents a chance for greater environmental impactbeyond Brooks and supports the spirit with which it was created."
Without losing durability or performance, BioMoGo will begin to break downonly when retired shoes encounter the "triple convergence" of high microbialload, low oxygen, and adequate moisture found in active, enclosed landfills.These three environmental conditions cannot be found in places where shoes areworn or stored. Once shoes have been thrown away and buried deep in an active,enclosed landfill, BioMoGo begins to break down into its component nutrientsand releases carbon that plants and animals can use for growth.
"BioMoGo is one of the first cradle-to-cradle product solutions developedfor athletic gear," said Derek Campbell, materials engineer for Brooks' FutureConcepts team. "With the success of BioMoGo, we're continuing to exploreadditional sustainable materials and production solutions that will benefitthe earth for generations to come."
In addition to landfill reduction, BioMoGo's production process is derivedfrom the same Compression Molded Preform (CMP) midsole manufacturing processused to produce Brooks' industry-leading MoGo midsole. CMP is an efficient,environmentally friendly production method that reduces material waste by 50percent and increases material consistency by 200 percent.
Brooks chose to launch BioMoGo in the Trance(TM) 8 due to its wealth ofhigh-performance footwear technologies, which won its predecessor, theTrance(TM) 7, the coveted "Editor's Choice" award from Runner's World inAugust 2007. All Brooks performance running shoes featuring MoGo will inheritground-breaking BioMoGo by the end of 2009.
"With new eco-friendly enhancements and the popularity of the previousmodel, the Trance(TM) 8 has received enthusiastic response from our key retailpartners," said Rick Wilhelm, vice president of sales for Brooks. "Runnerswant performance gear that not only feels good when running, but also instillspride in the brand they're sporting."
BioMoGo is the latest project Brooks has initiated to support itssustainability focus. Other examples include incorporating the CMP process,introducing HPR Green rubber, reducing PVC, developing a new environmentallyfriendly shoe box, and scrutinizing printed collateral pieces and vendorpartners for their environmental impac
