Can Plastic Shoes Be Recycled?

Advertising Partner Jeffrey A. Greenbaum is quoted in the article, “Can Plastic Shoes Be Recycled?” published by AdWeek. The article discusses whether plastic jelly shoes are in fact recyclable, and the challenges associated with conveying sustainability claims without misleading consumers. Jeff is quoted saying, “To ensure that people aren’t being misled—or simply misunderstanding recyclability claims—the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has laid out a set of guidelines for brands making these claims. If there’s important information that consumers need to know in order to prevent a claim from being misleading, that information has to accompany the claim, it has to be right there, and it has to be—as the FTC would say—’difficult to miss.'”

Melissa, the original creator of the jelly shoe has claimed that their shoes are 100% recyclable, but experts have said that it's an unlikely practice to happen in the United States. Jeff notes, “[The FTC wants] to know that if you’re promoting an environmental benefit, that benefit is actually going to be achieved by consumers. At this moment, it’s perfectly fine to have a different type of recycling program available, as long as you convey it to consumers.”

Read the full article here. (Behind paywall)