From the dream of running on clouds…
What are dreams made of? If you are part of the On team, definitely of carbon emissions. The brand philosophy born from the out-of-the-box vision of the retired athlete Olivier Bernhard in co-operation with Caspar Coppetti and David Allemann is based on a simple principle: «dreaming up ground-breaking new ideas and make them a physical reality». The common goal shared by the three founders was to revolutionize the sensation of running through an ethical and sustainable project that allowed buyers to feel as they were «running on clouds». The first steps were made when Bernhard started experimenting with pieces of garden hose, gluing them to the outsole of his prototype. The partnership officially begins in 2010, with the purpose of «creating the most high-performance shoe ever» functional for «cushioned landings and powerful take-offs». The use of the most advanced technology possible allowed the new prototype to win the ISPO BrandNew Award during March of the same year.
… to their cleaning
In 2022, after six years of research, the team achieved the goal of completing the Clean Cloud project: a high-performance foam to integrate with shoes made from carbon emission. The Cloudprime is the first-ever shoe with an outsole (made with EVA Clean Cloud) whose realization entails fifty-two percent of CO2. Thanks to this cutting-edge technology, carbon emissions emitted from industrial sources are captured before they enter the atmosphere and converted into liquid ethanol. The ethanol is dehydrated to become ethylene gas and processed in high-performance materials. Even if this prototype is not yet available for purchase, it is an example of the virtuous behavior of On when dealing with modern issues. This attitude allows to turn obstacles (as the carbon footprint) into solutions (as materials that benefit both the shoe and the environment).
Dream on
On’s innovation outlook doesn’t stop at the clouds: it evolves several partnerships with holdings and initiatives driven by local realities through which the company can develop social projects in pursuit of the common good, with an inclination towards people who partake in sports activities. Among them, we can point out Right To Run: a social impact program addressed to those who are experiencing difficulties because of «barriers that prevent them from enjoying the freedom and benefits that movement brings, from access and inclusion to safety». Its goal is to preserve everyone’s right to run and move, assisting people in dreaming and aiming for the top. Last but not least, the work-in-progress dream of the On Lab’s team in Zurich consists in the official release on the market of technologies that benefit both people and the planet. This Lab, located under the clouds among the Swiss Alps, is a driving force for circular design and sustainable research that will improve the brand development over the next few years.
The Roger Collection
Even Roger Federer dreams with On Running: he is an icon both on and off the tennis court and from 2019 he is also shareholder and brand testimonial for On with operational responsibilities. The retired champion played a significant role in the development of the first high-performance and tennis-inspired sneaker, The Roger Pro: «a model supportive and stable enough to keep you on top of your game» and «able to provide more than enough power to see you through the match point». Additionally, there are five other pieces included in the collection born from this virtuous partnership and their driving force is CloudTech, a Swiss technology engineered «to deliver soft landings and dynamic take-offs» (that means almost to run on clouds) and «tailored to almost any activities, adapting to the wearer, for an unrivalled wearing experience».
