Recovered Trainer Foam Becomes Cushioning for Sofas and Lounge Chairs

Japanese furniture brand Karimoku New Standard and sportswear company ASICS have developed seating that uses foam recovered from unused trainers. Their KNS x ASICS Collaboration incorporates the material into two existing furniture designs, exploring how footwear production surplus can become a resource for interior products.

The collaboration has now launched globally, following its introduction in Japan earlier in 2026. It uses deadstock and sample footwear that, according to the brands, would otherwise have been discarded.

From Footwear to Furniture Filling

The recovery process involves dismantling, sorting and crushing ASICS footwear to extract ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam. This lightweight, flexible material commonly provides cushioning in trainer midsoles, outsoles and footbeds.

Karimoku New Standard, a sub-brand of Japanese manufacturer Karimoku, adopted the same recovery technique that ASICS uses for its upcycled Neocurve trainers. For the furniture application, the recovered foam is blended with cotton and combined with a three-millimetre condensed foam sheet.

According to Karimoku New Standard, this combination creates a hybrid cushioning structure. The development transfers an existing material recovery process from footwear into furniture, while adapting the resulting filling to the requirements of seating.

Adapting the Material for Everyday Use

The collaboration grew out of Karimoku New Standard’s work on seating for meeting spaces at ASICS’ Tokyo office. Developing the cushioning involved repeated prototyping and adjustments for everyday office use, drawing on ASICS’ sports science expertise.

The resulting material features in the Castor Lobby Sofa and Polar Lounge Chair. Both designs also carry an embroidered tag identifying the collaboration.

For furniture and interior designers, the project offers an example of how a recovered material can enter an established product range. The development process focused on achieving suitable seating comfort alongside finding another use for surplus footwear foam.

A New Application for Surplus Materials

The collaboration redirects EVA foam from unused footwear into a different product category. Its material innovation lies in combining this recovered foam with other cushioning components to support a new function.

The reported information does not specify the proportion of recovered content, the furniture’s end-of-life recycling options or a quantified environmental impact reduction.

Source: Dezeen
Photos: Karimoku New Standard