New Balance

New Balance doesn't transparently share its materials breakdown, but it reports a proportion of its items are made with lower emissions materials, including production waste foam, production waste rubber, and GRS synthetics. It's a member of the Better Cotton Initiative and uses LWG certified leather. It plans to reduce its reliance on high emissions materials with goals focused on increasing preferred materials, including reaching 100% recycled or 'preferred' polyester by 2025. It has reported progress towards these goals within the last year.

New Balance provides specific information about its renewable energy use. It reports using renewables at production sites and owned and operated facilities, and has plans to expand renewables in its production from 90 to 100%. It reports energy efficiency projects at production facilities but not at stores or offices. New Balance sources and manufactures its materials globally, which is standard practice in the fashion industry.

New Balance has made some efforts to reduce packaging waste, but still relies on plastic polybags that are not identified as recycled. Its shoe packaging is primarily plastic-free and it reports a focus on minimizing packaging waste by rightsizing boxes.

New Balance doesn't offer repair services or a warranty.

It gives detailed care instructions that may help extend product lifespan.

New Balance has a take back program, Reconsidered, that accepts its own brand's shoes for resale. It reports on the efficacy of its avoid-landfill programs, but it's not totally clear what applies to its takeback program.

New Balance offers a core evergreen collection but also has frequent new releases and limited editions.

Commons is still evaluating this brand's marketing emails.

New Balance has a detailed sustainability page, but makes it hard to find on its website. Larger brands have a greater responsibility to make this information clearly available due to its outsized impact. This page was last updated in 2024 New Balance also publishes a detailed annual report, with a clear, impact driven strategy and progress reporting. Its latest annual report is from 2023.

New Balance measures its overall emissions in partnership, or with auditing from, a third-party. It reports emissions on an organization-level. It's also beginning to conduct product-level LCA and emissions analysis. New Balance identifies its top driver of emissions, by including detailed breakdowns. In 2023 its estimated total emissions were 1,190,643 MT CO2e.

New Balance has SBTi-approved emissions reduction targets for the near term. It's on track for some targets, but far behind on its Scope 3 target. Commons couldn't find verification that it currently offsets any emissions.

New Balance publishes information about its Tier 1-3 supply chain partners on Open Supply Hub and on its site. It has a supplier code of conduct, which includes provisions for annual audits of partners, restricting subcontracting, no forced labor, and allowing collective bargaining. Its code of conduct doesn't include provisions for paying living wages, but a portion of its supply chain is FLA certified.