The VIVOBAREFOOT Plogging club returns to our London store on Neal Street on Wednesday 9th January at 1830.
Join us for a jog around the city whilst we help make the capital that bit clean. We will provide everything you need + a few extra drinkable and editable surprises. Just be at the store for 1815 on the 9th.
Where did plogging start with VIVOBAREFOOT?
The new craze sweeping across Sweden, and now London. Introduced to us by VIVOBAREFOOT ambassador and off-road athlete, Maja Tesch, this new sustainable trend involves picking up discarded rubbish whilst jogging and responsibly sorting it for recycling.
What a brilliant idea.
As soon as we heard of it, we decided we wanted to run with it (so to speak!).
And so, we invited Maja all the way from Sweden to our London concept store to help lead the city’s first official plogging event back in July.
Members of the press and friends of VIVOBAREFOOT were invited to join us … and we were overwhelmed by the turnout! Gathered together for a worthy cause and sharing a unified love for natural movement, we took to the streets with a flurry of excitement and chatter, armed with re-usable bags to fill with any discarded rubbish. We set off around some of the most famous areas in London. Charring Cross, Covent Garden, Waterloo Bridge, Westminster.
Our sad realisation was that we couldn’t walk 2 meters without finding litter. It made us pause to think…. Why in this modern age are so many of us still dropping rubbish on the floor? And how these items were ‘brand new’ just the day before… but now discarded would likely end up in landfill after just one brief use.
If nothing else, this activity opened an emotive conversation about the treatment of rubbish and throw-away plastics, and hopefully caught the attention of passers-by too.
Back at the store a hubbub ensued as each piece was sorted and prepared for recycling wherever possible. Every person who attended left grinning with satisfaction having not only enjoyed the benefits of exercise, but also a sense of community and sustainable empowerment. It’s in our hands to change the situation.
In a bid to further tackle the crisis of throw-away plastic, VIVOBAREFOOT has been developing sustainable materials that incorporate recycled plastic bottles into high-performance, durable shoes. The average pair entwines approximately 17 recycled bottles into each pair! Read more about it in our blog > Shoes made from plastic bottles.
As a figurehead for sustainable initiatives, we plan to organise many more plogging events for the future. But in the meantime, why not give it a go yourself?
