FAQ

RESLIDES is a Swiss limited company based in Zurich, Switzerland.

RESLIDES was founded in 2021 and is run by founder Benno.

The idea for his own recyclable sandals was born out of necessity. A few years ago, Benno was on a VW bus tour through Europe during a six-month sabbatical and was looking for open shoes and was not satisfied with what was available on the market. Flip-flops were simply not a solution. As a passionate product designer, he quickly started to design his own sustainable sandals according to his ideas.

The DNA of RESLIDES is the concept of a sustainable circular economy with the aim of keeping material resources in the resource cycle after the longest possible product life cycle. The model for this is quite simply nature - here all processes function in closed cycles. We are convinced that this can be done without having to forego fashion freedom.

Circular economy means that our products are designed to be recycled at the end of their useful life. Before the individual components are recycled, we always check whether they can be cleaned and reprocessed for a second life. Thanks to an optimized choice of materials and the modular design of our products, efficient recycling after a complete product life cycle makes it possible to reuse the materials to manufacture new products.

The self-replaceability of the components extends the life of the RESLIDES sandals, as independent repairs or adjustments (e.g. fashion updates) of components are possible without great effort and therefore there is no need to purchase completely new sandals.

In this way, we are genuinely sustainable because we use resources for as long as possible, return them to the cycle after use, avoid waste and thus effectively release less CO2 into the environment per product unit.

The components of our RESLIDES sandals are sorted in themselves, which enables efficient recycling without the normally necessary and very complex prior separation processes.

The soles are made of highly abrasion-resistant and 100% recyclable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). TPU has excellent kink and tear resistance and is also very weather-resistant. This makes it ideal for RESLIDES soles and our demands for durability and recyclability. After recycling, it is used again to manufacture soles.

Recycled acetal plastic (rPOM) is used for the buckles. This offers optimal mechanical performance with its excellent combination of strength, toughness, fatigue strength and resistance to moisture and chemicals. After use, the selected rPOM can be fully recycled and used to manufacture new buckles.

There will be different variants of straps. The first version is band straps made of recycled polyester (rPET), which was chosen primarily for reasons of durability. Polyester is very hard-wearing and also insensitive, dirt-repellent and quick-drying, which is an optimal combination for use as RESLIDES sandal straps. However, there is currently one disadvantage in terms of the resource cycle - after use, textile polyester is normally processed via mechanical fiber recycling and used for other applications such as fleece or insulation material, i.e. downcycling. Chemical recycling is becoming increasingly important, but is not yet offered on a broad industrial scale. For this reason, we will continue to develop strap solutions that are either completely biodegradable or recyclable with as little loss of quality as possible.

Plastics are particularly problematic when they end up in the trash or, even worse, in nature or the sea. They are then converted into unnecessary climate-damaging CO2 through waste incineration, becoming pollutants for the natural cycles, i.e. our livelihood, and a threat to our health.

In principle, it is a very common approach to replace the raw materials with materials made from renewable resources on the way to a higher level of sustainability. Examples of this are straws made from paper rather than plastic, or toothbrushes made from bamboo. When it comes to the production of shoes and sandals, however, plastics have clear advantages for the usability of the product and for closing the resource cycle that other, renewable materials have not been able to achieve to date(!). So if we had developed sandals made from renewable materials, they would have lost out in terms of comfort and suitability for everyday use compared to a sandal made from plastic and would almost certainly have ended up in the trash and converted into CO2 after a much shorter period of use.

But in order for you as consumers to decide to improve sustainability, companies like us, who want to make a positive contribution to a clean and ecologically sustainable world, have to develop products that are really good and convince you. For this reason, we have decided to use plastics for our components. As of today, these plastics are still made from petroleum and that is why we have designed the RESLIDES sandals so that their components are pure, i.e. consist of only one material. The modular components can be easily separated from one another because they are not glued or sewn. The purity of the materials in combination with the modularity of the components enables us to recycle 100%. And so that we actually have an impact, we take the RESLIDES sandals back after use at our own expense and return them to the material cycle so that new RESLIDES can be created on them. This is how we solve the question of sustainability at RESLIDES.

The generation of microplastics through the abrasion of plastic-based shoes has a relatively small impact at 3% compared to 33% from tire abrasion, but it still represents a problem.

There are already bio-based plastics on the market, i.e. based on renewable raw materials, but they do not yet have the necessary material properties or recyclability and unfortunately not yet at an acceptable raw material price. However, as soon as there are functional and affordable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, we want to use them for our products. Research is currently much less advanced in the field of bio-based plastics for use as sole material, which are then also biodegradable or compostable without producing micro- or nanoplastics. For us, the approach using the technical resource cycle, i.e. return and recycling, is therefore the most sensible in the medium term.

The process we implement at RESLIDES to close material cycles is called Resource Recovery Process (RRP) and it includes these steps:

1. returning the sandals or components by you as a customer to our Collection Hub
2. the administrative and IT processes necessary for the takeback for generating the return shipping label and processing the payment for the voucher or cashback
3. storage in our Collection Hubs and subsequent transport to our recycling partners

The implementation of the RRP is an important part of our business model and is coordinated by us as RESLIDES and financed through part of our margin. We firmly believe that the responsibility for closing loops should lie with us as a company.

To ensure that used products or components are actually returned, it is important to offer an incentive. Only then can we close the material cycles and implement the necessary steps of the RRP. Our strategy is to create this incentive through a circularity credit, which is paid back like a deposit when products or components are returned after their useful life.

Further information and details about the process can be found at reslides.ch/takeback.

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The heart of our sandals, the sole, is produced in Italy. The buckles are made in Switzerland. The straps of the first collection still come from China and we plan to have them produced in Europe in the future. Various sourcing and development projects with European producers and suppliers are already underway.

Our RESLIDES sandal can be disassembled into three types of components: 1. Sole, 2. Strap, 3. Buckle. The modularity has the following advantages:

1. Easy to change straps (flexibility and variety of colors, patterns or materials) so that your sandals match your outfit and your preferences even as fashion changes. Additional color variants for soles and buckles are also planned in the medium term.
2. If one of the components breaks or is worn out, you can simply replace it and do not have to buy a completely new pair
3. Simplified recycling process because components can be easily separated from each other

RESLIDES sandals are an innovative approach to rethinking consumption and the use of material resources.

Our RESLIDES sandals offer durability, high wearing comfort and fashionable flexibility through interchangeable straps, combined with a timelessly simple design. In addition, and this is what sets us apart from other sandals on the market, we offer the first sandals that are not only completely recyclable (100% recyclable, flexibly adaptable for a maximized service life), but are also based on a completely circular business model in which the resource cycles are closed and the materials are actually used for new RESLIDES components.

We are offering a solution to the dilemma that an estimated 22 billion pairs of shoes worldwide end up in the trash every year after their useful life based on linear economics, and the majority of them are burned. By purchasing our recyclable sandals, you reduce waste, thereby reducing CO2 emissions and conserving resources.

We believe that with innovative products and processes we can make our contribution to solving existing global problems so that our children and future generations can also have a life worth living on our beautiful planet. Sustainable thinking and acting is a matter of course for us and yet it is always a driver for innovation. If we are committed to driving the circular economy in the fashion industry, we can accelerate a transformation to a sustainable future. We cannot do this alone; it needs many other companies and partners and we need you as a community who also believe in this vision and are willing to think differently about consumption. We are also still at the beginning, where not everything can be implemented as formulated in our vision, and we can still learn in various areas and constantly improve.

Yes, we plan to regularly release new collections of straps to give you a wide choice as fashion changes.

The modularity of the RESLIDES sandals allows us to have fun in this playground and create a diversity of styles.

Especially when it comes to the material for the straps, we will continue to look for new and exciting solutions that fit into the concept of recyclability or improve it and increase design variability.

We also want to focus on collaborations and develop collections together with artists, designers and other brands in order to promote our circularity mission and the suitability of the modular concept in the world of fashion and lifestyle and thus increase the impact.

RESLIDES are unisex and are available in sizes from EU 37 to EU 46.

Please measure your foot length and use the following table to find the right shoe size for you. We want to avoid unnecessary returns, so it is important to us to send you the right size directly.

Here are a few tips to help you find the perfect size:

1. Take 2-3 of your current sneakers.
2. Find the millimeter/JP* size of these sneakers, as this is their maximum length. (*JP means Japan, the size is in millimeters)
3. Check our size chart taking into account the millimeters and choose the appropriate size.

If you are between two sizes, it is best to choose one size larger.

All our products can be easily cleaned with lukewarm water.

Currently (as of autumn 2024) they do not exist. If you are interested, please contact us at support(at)reslides.ch.

Currently (as of autumn 2024) we do not offer the option of gift wrapping your order. If demand for this is high, we will consider whether and how this could fit into our concept.

On occasions we will announce discounts through our marketing channels. If you don't want to miss them, follow us on Instagram ( https://www.instagram.com/reslides.official ) and Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/reslides ).

The Circularity Credit is to be understood as a deposit for the material and partially finances the implementation of the circular process of our RESLIDES products.

You have two options to return worn-out products or components and get up to 100% of the Circularity Credit back.

Variant 1: RETURN AFTER USE

If you decide to send back old sandals or components, you will receive the Circularity Credit as a voucher. Alternatively, we will pay you back cashback on a pro rata basis.

Variant 2: TRADE-IN

If you decide to return your old product and buy a new one, we will honor your trust in our RESLIDES mission and you will receive the Circularity Credit back in full as cashback or, if you prefer, as a voucher.

After returning used components or a used sandal set and ordering a new RESLIDES product (TRADE IN), you will receive the following refunds for returning old products:

• Send in entire old sandal set: 21 CHF/€
• Send in a pair of soles: 15 CHF/€ (7.5 CHF/€ per sole)
• Send in a pair of buckles: 3 CHF/€ (1.5 CHF/€ per buckle)
• Straps: Please dispose of them via local textile collection containers/used clothing collection
  

If you return used components or a used sandal set without ordering new RESLIDES products (RETURN AFTER USE), you will receive the following refunds:

• Send in entire old sandal set: 12 CHF/€
• Send in a pair of soles: 8 CHF/€ per pair
• Send in a pair of buckles: 2 CHF/€ (1 CHF/€ per buckle)
• Straps: Please dispose of them via local textile collection containers/used clothing collection

The plastics TPU (soles) and POM (buckles) require separate collection and recycling processes and cannot be returned to the recycling cycle with the company's own plastic waste (not suitable for TPU and POM plastics) or at other local collection points. If TPU and POM plastics end up in household waste, they are separated from the other plastics and burned. To prevent this from happening with our components, it is important to us to offer our own process with which we return TPU and POM plastics to the material cycle. That is why we provide soles and buckles with the additional Circularity Credit, which is intended to provide an incentive to send them back to us at the end of the product's lifespan.

Our straps are currently made of recycled textile polyester. There is an established collection process for this via local textile collection containers or old clothing collection. The pure textile polyester is then recycled by textile recycling companies. Because of this existing collection and recycling infrastructure, we do not think it makes sense to send individual worn-out straps by post, which would generate additional CO2 emissions. However, if the straps are returned together with other components, i.e. the shipping takes place anyway, then of course we will take our straps back. For this reason, no circularity credit is included in the price of our straps.

• Complete sandal set (soles+buckles+straps): Yes
• soles only (possibly with straps or buckles): Yes
• buckles only (possibly with straps or soles): Yes
• only straps: No

We generally take back all components, i.e. soles, straps and buckles, at the end of their product life. There is one exception: returning only straps, i.e. if they are not returned together with other components, does not make sense from a sustainability perspective, because our straps, which are made of recycled PET, can easily be disposed of in the textile collection container/used clothing collection. In this container they are then recycled and returned to the material cycle.

Because of these existing recycling processes for polyester, we do not think it makes sense to send individual worn-out straps by post, which naturally generates costs and CO2. However, if the straps are returned together with other components, meaning that shipping takes place anyway, then of course we will take our straps back too.

We accept VISA and Mastercard, TWINT, PayPal and PostFinance direct payment.

Shipping within Switzerland will probably take 2-3 days. Our focus on ecological sustainability means that we do not use the fastest shipping method, but rather the most efficient option.

In Germany, shipping takes 4-5 days.

Shipping of all items in Switzerland and Germany during the presale phase is initially free of charge.

We ship from Switzerland. As soon as we start regular sales, we will probably make adjustments to shipping to other European countries, as the costs are significantly higher.

After the purchase is completed, your order will automatically enter the shipping process. Therefore, we cannot promise that we will be able to change it afterwards.

However, if an error has occurred during the order process, please contact us immediately via support(at)reslides.ch and we will see what we can do to avoid unnecessary back and forth sending via a returns process.

If you would like to return or exchange an item, please contact us by email at supprt(at)reslides.ch so that we can clarify the matter together. We will get back to you as soon as possible. Please be understanding if we need a little longer, as we are still a very small team.

See our right of withdrawal https://www.reslides.ch/policies/refund-policy

Since we at RESLIDES attach great importance to acting in the most ecologically sustainable way possible, we do not want to create an incentive that leads to products being bought from us on suspicion because they can be returned free of charge. And of course, the truth is that return costs have a very significant impact on our profitability and we can only achieve our mission if we also operate in an economically sustainable manner. Therefore, we do not currently offer free returns.

After we have received your return, you will receive a refund from us within 7 days.

Please send us an email as soon as possible to support(at)reslides.ch with your full name, your order number, and a specific description of what was damaged or delivered incorrectly.

Important: Please attach a picture of the damage or incorrect product to your email.

Items that you have in your shopping cart for a short time are reserved for you. If you put items in your shopping cart and come back to the shop later or tomorrow, we cannot guarantee that the items are still available. Especially with our straps, it can happen from time to time that different colors are sold out.

On our homepage www.reslides.ch you will find the option to subscribe to the newsletter at the very bottom.