Asics x Karimoku To Launch Furniture Line Made From Recycled Footwear

ASICS and Karimoku New Standard have turned surplus sneakers into sculptural seating, unveiling the Castor Lobby Sofa and Polar Lounge Chair with cushions made from unused ASICS footwear that would otherwise become waste. By applying cushioning technology first developed for the ASICS NEOCURVE shoe, the collaboration pushes circular design into the world of furniture while keeping comfort and aesthetics front and centre.

From Unused Sneakers To Cushioning

At the heart of the project is EVA foam salvaged from ASICS deadstock and sample shoes, which are dismantled, crushed, and sorted before being re engineered into new cushion material. The resulting fill combines cotton mixed with EVA foam chips and a 3 millimetre thick compressed foam sheet, creating a hybrid structure that balances softness, resilience, and long term durability.

This same recycling logic underpinned the NEOCURVE sneaker, where discarded pairs were broken down and rebuilt into a new performance model, and now extends into furniture as a way to give unsellable stock a second life. For ASICS, the collaboration supports a broader circular economy roadmap that includes localized production and partnerships with specialist recyclers to reduce waste and carbon impact.

Castor Lobby Sofa And Polar Lounge Chair

The furniture line centres on two designs produced under the Karimoku New Standard label: the modular Castor Lobby Sofa and the Polar Lounge Chair, available in Small and Large sizes. Both models pair solid wood frames and ergonomic profiling hallmarks of Karimoku’s craft with the new sneaker derived cushions, creating seating intended for lobbies, offices and contemporary homes.

Each piece carries a special embroidered tag featuring both ASICS and Karimoku New Standard logos, signaling their shared commitment to sustainability and Japanese design. Upholstery options include textiles developed with Kvadrat, chosen to echo sporting atmospheres through colour and texture while maintaining a clean, minimal visual language.

Designed For Real World Comfort

The cushion system was initially developed while searching for the ideal seating comfort for meeting spaces in the ASICS Tokyo office, then refined through multiple prototyping sessions between ASICS sports engineering teams and Karimoku craftspeople. Tests focused on how the mixed EVA and cotton structure behaves under prolonged use, ensuring the seat offers a gentle sink in feel without collapsing or losing shape over time.

That hybrid approach turns recycled material into what Karimoku calls functional added value: the environmental story is important, but the pieces still need to pass as premium, longlasting furniture first. The end result anchors performance know how from the running world in a static object, making the link between motion, rest, and recovery part of the design narrative.

Availability And Circular Design Impact

The ASICS Edition furniture is available through Karimoku’s official online shop and selected Karimoku New Standard retailers, initially across Japan, with visibility expanding through global design media. While production volumes are not disclosed, the project is framed as a tangible example of how deadstock can be transformed into desirable objects rather than discounted or destroyed.

By reimagining unused performance shoes as plush seating, ASICS and Karimoku New Standard position circularity as a design opportunity rather than a constraint, inviting both sneaker fans and design collectors to sit with the idea of what reuse can look like.