Wondering what to do with uncomfortable footwear? Don't throw them away - give them to the needy
Ekologia
17 January 2025
When tidying up their wardrobe, many people find long-forgotten shoes that have not been used for a long time or have never found their owner's feet. Instead of wondering where to throw away old shoes that are still in good condition, donate them to another person. You can do this quickly and free of charge with the EKO Returns service. How to.
Old shoes - what can you do to give them a second life?
Old shoes don't have to sit in your wardrobe. Do you have shoes that you are simply bored with or that were the wrong gift? If your footwear is well cared for, complete and can easily be used by someone else, it's worth giving it a second life.
Eco returns combine care for the planet with charity. If the footwear is found to be in a condition that makes normal use impossible and the repair exceeds the value of the product, the shoes will not end up in the bin. Instead, they will go to one of the processing plants and be turned into raw material ready for the production of other items.
On the other hand, well-kept, complete shoes in good condition will be re-circulated and some of them will be donated to one of the selected charities. So far, beneficiaries of the EKO Returns initiative have included the Children's Home in Kielce, the Single Mother's Home in Zabrze, the Shelter for Homeless Animals in Dyminy and the School Library at the School and Kindergarten Complex in Ożarów.
Give things a second story - the ECO Returns service
Eco Returns operates in the spirit of zero waste and focuses on combining charity with care for the environment. The initiative emerged at the end of 2021 and has since welcomed thousands of parcels back into the market, donated to charities or special plants sourcing raw materials from damaged items whose cost of repair exceeded their value.
At the very beginning, EKO Returns' activities were focused solely on electronic and electrical equipment, but very quickly expanded to include other product groups, including footwear. Consumers can easily and completely free of charge send back unwanted shoes via Paczkomat® InPost.
Instead of wondering what to do with an unwanted pair of shoes, consumers can download the InPost Mobile app (if they are not already using it) or go to the szybkiezwroty.pl/en/EKOzwroty . This is where they will send your parcel quickly and free of charge with just a few clicks.
Don't throw away good footwear! Pass them on to others and enjoy InCoins in the loyalty programme. Visit the "Rewards" tab in the InPost Mobile app to find out more.
How do you prepare footwear for an ECO return?
Your footwear needs to be properly prepared for shipping so that it arrives at its destination intact. So make sure your parcel is packed properly, and InPost couriers will take care of the rest of the logistics process. Before you put your shoes in the box, check their condition - the shoes should be complete, neat and clean.
The next step is to prepare the packaging. Of course, it should be adapted to the size and weight of the products to be shipped. A good idea is to use old cardboard boxes and parcels for this. An old shoe box, for example, will be a great solution in this case. Remember to remove all old stickers and labels from it.
The cardboard box should be as close in size as possible to the size of its contents. Of course, its wings must close freely, but it is not worth packing shoes into an overly large box for a simple reason - the less space it takes up in the van, the more parcels the courier will take with him, thereby reducing the emission of harmful CO2 into the atmosphere.
It should also be taken into account that the parcel must fit comfortably into the box of the Parcel Machine®. For this reason, its dimensions are to be classified into one of three dimensions:
- "A" with dimensions of up to 80 x 380 x 640 cm and a weight of up to 25 kg;
- "B" with dimensions of up to 190 x 380 x 640 cm and a weight of up to 25 kg;
- "C" with dimensions of up to 410 x 380 x 640 cm and a weight of up to 25 kg.
You can fill any empty spaces with paper, such as old newspapers. We also encourage you to send back an EKO Return when you have accumulated all the items you would like to donate to the Reclaim the Environment Foundation. Within one return, the box can contain multiple products from the various categories available on the service website. Take the box prepared and sealed in this way to a Parcel Machine® of your choice. 
Free eco-refunds in a few steps
Sending shoes and other unnecessary products via EKO Returns is very simple and fast. In fact, basic personal data and a few clicks in the application panel or on the InPost website are sufficient for this.
QuickReturns website
To make a free EKOzwroty online, go to the previously mentioned address szybkiezwroty.pl/en/EKOzwroty. There, the user selects the appropriate category of products to be distributed to those in need or to be used in accordance with the principles of the circular economy. In this case, it is simply 'Footwear'. Please note that this is a declarative choice, i.e. there may be several product groups in the consignment - in this case, tick the category that is predominant in your return in the form.
In the form, you will also need to specify the size of the parcel, your name, e-mail address and telephone number, to which your personalised ECO return code will arrive. It remains to place it in a prominent position on the carton, e.g. by writing the code with a pen or marker.
This is all it takes for the parcel to be ready for dispatch. The last step is then to place it in the appropriate locker of the Paczkomat® machine. The door will open as soon as you enter the code generated by the system.
InPost Mobile application
The InPost Mobile app can also be used for ECO returns. The same one with which you send, receive and navigate your parcels. Its user must first select the "Return" option and go to the "Donate to the Foundation" tab.
You then need to specify the appropriate shipment size, indicate that the products being transferred are footwear and enter your basic contact details, i.e. your name, phone number and email address. Once the form is approved, EKO Return is ready to be sent. The only thing left to do is to take the parcel to the Paczkomat® machine and place it in the right box by scanning the QR code. It will appear in the application panel.
The service also covers product categories such as electronic and electrical equipment, e.g. laptops, phones, audio equipment and small household appliances. In addition, consumers can send back toys and children's items as well as textiles such as blouses, jackets or trousers.
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