There are sneakers that have crossed entire cities. That have survived festivals, training sessions, and early mornings. That have been favorites for years until one day they ended up at the back of a closet.
Not because they were broken. Not because they were ugly. Simply because they stopped being used.
And that's where the problem begins.
20 million tons a year
That's the weight of textile waste the world generates every year. Sneakers represent a disproportionate part of that number: synthetic materials, rubber, mixed fabrics that take decades to decompose.
The worst part isn't that they're thrown away. The worst part is that most still had life left in them.
They could have been cleaned. Repaired. Restored. Given to someone who needed them.
But no one did.
SecondStep is born from that uncomfortable question
What if instead of throwing them away, we restored them?
It was born in Gipuzkoa, driven by Alema and Jon (LEINN students) and the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, with a simple idea: take sneakers that no one uses anymore, put them in the hands of local cobblers with real craftsmanship, and return them to the streets.
How it works, no beating around the bush
If you have sneakers you no longer use: Bring them to the collection point at Garbera Shopping Center, in Donostia. We leave them in the hands of local cobblers.
If they can be fixed, we restore them. If not, they go for responsible recycling. No pair ends up in a landfill due to lack of options.
If you're looking for sneakers: You'll find restored pairs, with a story, at a fair price. Each product sheet introduces you to the cobbler who worked on them and the workshop where they were made.
You know exactly what you're buying and where it comes from.
And the best part, for every 100 pairs we resell, 10 go to local NGOs.
What truly matters to us
We are not a sustainable fashion brand that uses green as a marketing strategy.
We are a project from the region, for the region. With real cobblers, with a transparent process, with a measurable impact.
Every pair that goes through SecondStep is a pair that doesn't end up in a landfill. Every purchase is a decision that says something to the system.
You don't have to change everything at once. You just have to start.
Your next step
You have forgotten sneakers at home → Donate them here
Looking for your next pair → See the catalog
Either one counts.
Second Step is an initiative promoted by the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa to promote the circular economy in the footwear sector.