How to donate or recycle old shoes
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Wearable shoes — donate first
For any shoe in wearable condition, donation is the highest-value option. Soles4Souls is the largest shoe-specific charity: they collect new and gently-used shoes (paired, with soles still attached) and route them to wearers in under-served U.S. communities and globally. Drop-off bins are at many running shoe stores; mail-in also works (prepay your own label or use their bulk program).
Goodwill, Salvation Army, ARC's Value Village, and St. Vincent de Paul also accept all wearable shoes alongside clothing donations. Tip: tie laces together or use a rubber band so the pair stays matched through transport — single shoes are one of the most common reasons for charity rejection at intake.
Worn-out athletic shoes — Nike Reuse-A-Shoe
Nike Reuse-A-Shoe is one of the longest-running shoe recycling programs in the U.S. They accept any brand of athletic shoe (not just Nike) and grind them into Nike Grind, a rubber-and-foam aggregate used to surface running tracks, basketball courts, playgrounds, and even new athletic apparel. Drop-off is at participating Nike stores — call ahead because not every Nike retail location takes shoes. The program is U.S.-wide and free.
Do not include dress shoes, sandals, or work boots in the Reuse-A-Shoe stream. The grinding process is calibrated for foam, rubber, and synthetic uppers. Leather, metal eyelets, and steel toes contaminate the feedstock.
Sneakers — GotSneakers mail-in
GotSneakers is a free mail-in sneaker recycling program. Request a prepaid shipping bag online, fill it with sneakers in any condition, and ship it back. Wearable pairs are resold (with a small payment to you per pair); unwearable pairs are recycled. Convenient when there is no Nike store nearby or you have a large pile to clear.
Dress shoes, leather boots, and work shoes
Leather and steel-toe shoes are not accepted by Reuse-A-Shoe (the grinding process can't handle leather or metal). For wearable dress shoes and boots, charity donation is the cleanest path. For damaged-but-repairable shoes, a cobbler can re-sole or re-stitch — often less than $40 for shoes that originally cost $150+. For irreparable leather, look for a local artisan or upholstery shop that accepts scrap leather. As a last resort, the textile-recycler bin (USAgain, H&M) accepts shoes but leather is generally the lowest-value input.
Minnesota options
Twin Cities residents have several Nike retail locations participating in Reuse-A-Shoe (Mall of America, Galleria Edina, Ridgedale). Hennepin County's Choose to Reuse network lists shoe-accepting charities by ZIP. Ridwell subscribers in the metro can include shoes in the textile monthly category. Use /check with your ZIP for the verified nearest option.
Step-by-step: sort + drop off
- 1. Pair them up. Tie laces together or rubber-band each pair. Single shoes are the #1 reason charities reject at intake.
- 2. Clean them. Brush off dirt and lace them. Charities resell appearance-first; recyclers don't care, but cleaner is faster to process.
- 3. Choose the path. Wearable → charity. Athletic + worn-out → Nike Reuse-A-Shoe or GotSneakers. Leather/dress → cobbler or charity. Single / extreme wear → textile recycler.
- 4. Drop off at the nearest option. Try /check with your ZIP. We show the verified nearest charity, Nike store, and mail-in instructions.
Frequently asked
Where can I donate old shoes?
Soles4Souls accepts paired wearable shoes (with soles attached) at drop-off bins at many running stores and via mail-in. Goodwill, Salvation Army, ARC's Value Village, and St. Vincent de Paul also accept shoes alongside clothing donations. Tie pairs together so the match survives transport.
Does Nike take any brand of athletic shoes?
Yes — Nike Reuse-A-Shoe accepts any brand of athletic shoe (running, basketball, training, cross-trainer). They do not accept dress shoes, sandals, work boots, or shoes with metal eyelets or steel toes. Drop-off is at participating Nike retail stores; call ahead because not all Nike locations participate.
What is Nike Grind?
Nike Grind is the rubber-and-foam aggregate produced from shredded athletic shoes. Nike uses it to surface running tracks, basketball courts, playgrounds, and even in some new athletic apparel and footwear. The Reuse-A-Shoe program is the main feedstock.
Can I mail in sneakers if there is no Nike store near me?
Yes — GotSneakers offers free prepaid shipping bags. Order one online, fill it, ship it back. Wearable pairs they resell (with a small payment to you); unwearable pairs they recycle. Good option if you have a large pile or no nearby Nike store.
What do I do with single shoes (lost the match)?
Charities will reject single shoes at intake. Drop them at a textile recycler instead — USAgain bins, H&M's in-store collection, or Ridwell pickup all accept single shoes. The materials still recycle even without the pair.
Can I recycle leather boots?
Nike Reuse-A-Shoe will not accept leather or steel-toe boots — the grinding process is calibrated for synthetic uppers. Charity donation is the best option for wearable leather. For irreparable leather, look for a local artisan or upholstery shop that takes scrap leather, or drop them at a USAgain textile bin.
Should I clean shoes before donating?
For charity donation, yes — brush off dirt, clean stains, replace laces if missing. Charities resell appearance-first. For recycling (Nike, GotSneakers, textile bins), cleaning is not required but does not hurt.
Are donated shoes really used or just landfilled?
Soles4Souls publishes annual impact reports showing distribution to specific U.S. and global communities. Goodwill and Salvation Army resell what they can and bundle the rest for textile recyclers, who turn shoes into industrial materials. Both paths actually reuse or recycle — but only if pairs are clean and matched at donation.
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