THE 8 IMPACT

THE 8 IMPACT is the first deep-tech company to produce high-performance regenerated elastomers from used sneakers and tennis balls. Our patented industrial process transforms post-consumer sports goods into a catalog of 4 recycled materials that match virgin materials in both performance and price, helping brands reduce their environmental impact without compromising on quality.

Each year, 750,000 tons of such waste are incinerated in Europe and the US. We have the potential to turn these discarded materials into premium elastomers for footwear, automotive, and sports flooring applications.

At the core of our innovation is a proprietary AI engine, trained on the world’s largest elastomer database. Developed by our PhD team in materials science (based at Les Mines de Douai), this database includes over 10 million data points covering formulations, toxicology, life cycle assessments (LCAs), mechanical properties, and processing parameters.

This AI enables us to:

• Generate adaptive formulations based on incoming material variability
• Automate process decisions for consistent quality and performance
• Dynamically calculate LCAs, ensuring full environmental traceability

Our recycled materials are already recognized and validated by leading brands and plastics manufacturers for their quality, durability, and ease of integration into existing manufacturing lines.

Key applications:

• Footwear: We’ve co-developed a tennis shoe using recycled tennis ball rubber, and a hiking shoe incorporating rubber from running shoes.
• Automotive: In collaboration with plastics and rubber manufacturers, we’re creating recycled alloys suitable for parts like bumpers, offering added shock-absorbing properties.
• Sports flooring: Our materials enable local governments and facility operators to decarbonize their sports infrastructure with sustainable, high-performance surfaces.

Our plant is located in France, and we are actively collaborating with major industrial and consumer brands to bring scalable circularity to the elastomer market.

1. Environmental and Climate Impact

THE 8 IMPACT’s innovation significantly reduces waste and carbon emissions by regenerating post-consumer elastomers into high-performance materials.

• 750,000 tons of sneakers and tennis balls are incinerated annually in Europe and the U.S. Our process diverts this waste and transforms it into reusable raw materials.
• Normed LCA Measurement : Our regenerated elastomers emit 50% less CO₂ compared to virgin rubber production, representing a potential 552,000-ton CO₂ reduction annually.
• Unlike chemical recycling, our mechanical devulcanization process requires no water and no harmful chemicals, ensuring a low-carbon footprint.

*Méthode : Formule CFF (Circular Footprint Formula) développée par la Commission Européenne. Normes ISO14040 et 14044

2. Contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Our innovation aligns with several UN SDGs, including:

• SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production: Reducing reliance on virgin elastomers and promoting circular economy models.
• SDG 13 – Climate Action: Cutting carbon emissions through sustainable material regeneration.
• SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Developing AI-powered recycling technologies to modernize industrial processes.
• SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth: Creating skilled jobs in sustainable manufacturing and R&D.

3. Job Creation & Economic Impact

THE 8 IMPACT is driving employment growth in the green economy:

• High-value R&D jobs: We employ PhDs in materials science and AI to develop cutting-edge recycling technologies.
• Manufacturing and logistics: Our industrial scale-up will create direct and indirect jobs in waste collection, sorting, and processing.
• Technology and software development: Our 8TWIN AI software supports predictive material formulation, opening opportunities in data science and AI-driven manufacturing.

4. Alignment with EU Policies

THE 8 IMPACT supports EU climate and circular economy policies, including:

• EU Green Deal & Circular Economy Action Plan: Promoting recycled material integration in industrial supply chains.
• EU Waste Framework Directive: Meeting Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements by ensuring post-consumer material reuse.

Comprehensive Overview of Our Technology

• THE 8 IMPACT is the first and only deep-tech company capable of recycling post-consumer sneakers and tennis balls into high-performance regenerated elastomers that substitute virgin materials. Our technology is unique because it not only recycles but also restores and optimizes materials to meet industrial standards.

Key Technological Breakthroughs:

• Advanced Mechanical Separation – We have developed a custom-built industrial chain that separates, decontaminates, and processes post-consumer elastomers without using water or chemicals.
• Material Regeneration – Unlike traditional recycling, which produces low-value granules, our micronization and devulcanization technologies restore elastomer properties, making them regenerable and reusable in high-performance applications.
• Scientific Control & Material Homogenization – By leveraging data-driven blending methodologies, we ensure consistent material quality, overcoming the challenge of post-consumer material variability.
• Substitution of Virgin Materials – Our regenerated elastomers match the mechanical, chemical, and aesthetic properties of virgin materials while maintaining price parity.