Sneaker Impact partners with Westland Mall on sustainability, upcycling used sneakers for environmental and social health

MIAMI, Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sneaker Impact is proud to announce a new partnership with Westland Mall in Hialeah, FL as we continue our mission to grow the sustainability movement in the Hispanic community and educate about environmental and social health around the world.

Westland Mall, owned by Centennial Real Estate, is located just 20 minutes North from Miami International Airport in Hialeah, FL (the 5th largest city in Florida and the largest Cuban American population in the US). Westland is a regional mall that features nearly 100 stores and restaurants and has been the hub of this community for several decades. Partnering with Sneaker Impact aligns with Centennial's corporate social responsibility program, See Centennial, built on three cornerstones of Sustainability, Efficiency and the Environment. See Centennial strives to maintain environmental operations that foster a sustainable future for its properties and leads to improvements in the communities where they do business.

In addition to our past Sustainability initiatives to make buildings more energy-efficient and green, reduce waste by increasing recycling and composting, adding EV (electric vehicle) charging stations and other green certifications and upgrades, Sneaker Impact will now collect and upcycle used sneakers at their educationally-branded collection boxes throughout Westland Mall and its stores throughout the year. The shoes are rehabilitated when needed and shipped to developing countries around the globe where jobs are created through micro-businesses in marketplaces.

This is significant because 87% of all sneakers (estimates are 300 million pairs or more per year in the US alone) are thrown away into the landfill after their first life vs. the small minority that are upcycled. And it can take over 1,000 years for a modern sneaker to break down due to plastics and other materials. Upcycling means reusing discarded objects or materials, giving something a second life in such a way as to create a product of higher quality or value than the original. In the case of used sneakers, that means providing essential footwear to those in need, supporting micro-businesses who sell them and protecting the environment. Through sustainability efforts we help by maintaining a balance between nature, healthy communities, and economic vitality.

An impactful amount of the world depends on "second hand" sneakers. Sneaker Impact fulfills the urgent demand for gently used sneakers in these developing countries by supplying merchants with footwear to improve the quality of life within their community.

Without access to proper footwear, 1.5 billion people have been infected by diseases that are transmitted through contaminated soils, children are not permitted to attend school, and many people are unable to work. By partnering with Westland Mall, local businesses and people like you in our community, we give your sneakers a second life while transforming lives.

"We partner with Hispanic communities throughout South Florida and the United States to support many disadvantaged communities in the Caribbean, Central and South America, bringing awareness and spreading the message about the sneaker upcycling movement" says Moe Hachem, CEO of Sneaker Impact. "Recycling comes in many forms, but the only competition we have is the landfills. Global awareness and sustainability begins with us because if we don't do our part, then there will be no us."

These efforts are starting to gain traction. Through fundraising programs in Miami Dade County Public Schools, Sneaker Impact has been able to collect over 1,500 pairs in as little as one semester. And at the 2022 Miami Marathon, over 20,000 runners received a compostable collection bag from Sneaker Impact to give their sneakers a second life and help in places of need. Regional malls like Westland Mall in Hialeah are leading the movement in sustainability, educating locally while benefiting globally.

To learn more please visit sneakerimpact.com or if you would like to partner as a drop off location or wish to speak to their team to start recycling your sneakers, please send an email to [email protected].

Centennial is a real estate investment firm with a national portfolio of shopping, dining, entertainment and mixed-use destinations as well as a full-service property management platform delivered through Centennial Advisory Services, its third-party property and asset management division.

Rooted in retail since 1997, Centennial is focused on shaping the evolution of American retail by creating a superior multi-faceted shopping experience through properties that serve not only as a place of commerce, but as a place of community. For more information, visit CentennialREC.com.

Westland Mall is an 835,000-square-foot regional shopping center in Hialeah, Florida, just northwest of Miami. The shopping center boasts nearly 100 retailers, services and restaurants, including Macy's, JCPenney, H&M, Bath & Body Works, Foot Locker, Windsor, Pandora, TOUS, G by Guess, Victoria's Secret, Aeropostale, T-Mobile, Outback Steakhouse, Chili's Grill & Bar, and Subway. Westland Mall is conveniently located in the heart of Dade County and provides visitors with easy access from every major thoroughfare, including the I-75, Palmetto Expressway, Florida Turnpike, and US-27. For more information, visit https://www.shoppingwestlandmall.com/ or follow the center on Facebook and Instagram.

SOURCE Sneaker Impact