On 25 September 2026, the Scientific Culture Unit of the Public University of Navarre (UPNA) hosted an interactive workshop on the life cycle of sports shoes as part of the European Researchers’ Night.
The activity brought together gifted upper secondary school students from Padre Moret-Irubide Secundary School and researchers from UPNA’s KIMUA Research Group in Science Education and the National University of Central Buenos Aires Province (UNICEN), Argentina.
Under the guiding question “Where do your sports shoes come from, and what happens to them when you stop using them?”, students explored the entire life cycle of this everyday product, from raw material extraction and manufacturing to reuse and recycling.
Through hands-on activities, simple scientific experiments and data analysis, participants investigated material properties, such as water resistance and breathability, while reflecting on the environmental and social impacts associated with the production, transportation, consumption and disposal of sports shoes.
The workshop provided an engaging opportunity to connect scientific knowledge with everyday life, raise awareness of circular economy principles and encourage more responsible and sustainable consumption habits.
The activity contributed to the objectives of the RECEBA (Regional Circular Economy Business Acceleration) project by promoting circular economy principles and sustainable practices through hands-on educational activities.