Digital Product Passport

Reusable shoe covers

This page provides information about the materials, production, care, repair and circular potential of our reusable shoe covers.

It is an early Digital Product Passport (DPP) prototype created as part of our work with the Data to Business programme. We are developing it step by step using the information currently available to us.

About the product

Product: Reusable shoe covers
Product model: reCovers shoe covers
Colours: Black, green, pink, red, light blue, brown and metallic
Product ID: RC-001
Designed in: Gothenburg, Sweden
Produced in: Sweden

reCovers are designed to protect indoor floors without requiring visitors to remove their outdoor shoes. They are reusable, washable and made to replace single-use shoe covers.

The covers are flexible and designed to fit over different types of outdoor footwear. They have an elastic opening and an anti-slip sole area for practical everyday use.

Approximate weight: 50–60 grams per pair
Estimated lifetime: Approximately 500 uses, depending on handling, washing and conditions of use.

Material

The shoe covers are made from leftover technical textile from rainwear production. This gives existing fabric a new purpose and helps reduce the need for new raw materials.

The material used for this product is supplied by Rekotex and is identified in the supplier documentation as DAHLIA HHR / DAHLI120.

Material composition: 100% polyester backing with a 100% polyurethane coating
Fabric weight: Approximately 205 g/m², including coating

According to the supplier’s technical data sheet, the material has the following properties:

Waterproof, with a hydrostatic head of more than 200 cm
Flexible
Durable
Anti-slip
Washable
Suitable for repeated use
No quality loss after 200,000 flex cycles
Shrinkage after washing of less than 7%

OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100, Product Class I documentation is available from the supplier. It has also been tested for heavy metals according to EN 71-3:2013 and complies with the supplier’s stated REACH specifications.

The material has an antimicrobial treatment documented by the supplier. The effect may be reduced through washing. Further information is available in the technical data sheet.

View the material technical sheet.

Production

The product is designed by reCovers in Gothenburg and sewn in Sweden.

Local production allows us to work closely with our production partners, monitor quality and make repairs or adjustments more easily. It also helps us maintain a more transparent production chain.

Care instructions

Correct care helps extend the life of the shoe covers.

Turn the covers inside out before washing.
Remove loose dirt and dust when possible.
Wash only when necessary.
Machine wash at 30–40°C for normal use.
Air dry and avoid tumble drying.
Do not use more heat or washing than necessary.
Repair small damage before it becomes worse.

The supplier’s technical sheet indicates that the material can withstand washing at up to 95°C. However, higher temperatures should only be used when necessary, as they may cause additional wear to the product, stitching, elastic or printed details.

The material supplier recommends cleaning with water and soap only. Cleaning products containing alcohol, solvents, bleach or abrasive ingredients may damage the material.

View the care guide.

Repair and maintenance

Our shoe covers are designed to be used for a long time and repaired when possible.

Possible repairs include:

Patching small holes
Restitching a seam
Repairing or replacing elastic
Repairing or replacing the rear tab

If your shoe covers need repair, contact us at recovers.sweden@gmail.com. Please include a photo of the damage and a short description of how the covers have been used.

We will assess the damage and suggest the most suitable option. You can either send the shoe covers back to us for repair or, if the damage is a small hole, we can provide a repair kit with patching material and instructions so you can repair it yourself.

If you receive a repair kit, you can follow our repair instruction video for step-by-step guidance.

Environmental impact

Reusable shoe covers can help reduce the amount of disposable waste generated when people enter indoor environments wearing outdoor shoes.

Our initial hybrid life-cycle assessment compares one pair of reusable reCovers used approximately 500 times with the equivalent number of single-use disposable shoe-cover pairs.

Based on the assessment, one pair of reCovers may:

Avoid approximately 2.4 kg of disposable plastic waste
Save approximately 7.8 kg CO₂e
Provide approximately 500 uses, while each disposable shoe-cover pair is used once.

The assessment includes raw materials, production, transport, washing during use and end-of-life. It indicates that washing is the main source of environmental impact during the reusable product’s lifetime.

The estimates are based on available supplier, production and environmental database information, together with assumptions about washing, transport and product lifetime. They are indicative and may change as more complete lifecycle data becomes available. The assessment is not independently verified or certified.

Washing at lower temperatures, washing full loads and using the covers for their full expected lifetime can help reduce their environmental impact further.

View the environmental assessment.

We are working to improve the underlying data and publish more detailed lifecycle information in the future.

Circularity

The shoe covers are designed around extended use rather than single use.

They are:

Reusable
Washable
Repairable
Designed for repeated use
Suitable for rental and return models
Made from leftover textile material

When a pair can no longer be used, please contact reCovers before throwing it away. If the covers are damaged beyond repair, we can assess whether the material or components can be reused or otherwise handled responsibly.