GotSneakers
GotSneakers is a Miami-based sneaker recycling company that collects used athletic footwear from individuals, schools, nonprofits, gyms, and retailers, grades each pair, and routes roughly 90% to secondhand resale and the remainder to material recycling, monetizing via a per-bag service fee and resale spread.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersMiami, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What GotSneakers does
GotSneakers, LLC is a Miami-based, privately held sneaker recycling company operating a zero-waste take-back platform for used athletic footwear. Founded in 2017, the company collects sneakers from individuals, schools, nonprofits, sports teams, gyms, and retailers via free self-serve online signup, free FedEx shipping (contiguous U.S.), and pre-paid collection bags. Inbound sneakers are evaluated by trained staff using a published Earnings Guidelines framework that scores each pair by brand, condition, and measurement to determine eligibility for reuse versus material recycling.
The core technology is a manual sneaker evaluation and sorting system, not a software platform. Approximately 90% of collected pairs are routed to domestic and global secondhand markets, while the remaining ~10% are recycled into new products such as insoles, laces, countertops, and new footwear. To date, the company reports diverting 5,350,000 pairs from landfills, averting 192,600,000 lbs of CO2e, and channeling $3,760,000 to partner fundraisers.
GotSneakers monetizes through three streams: a $3 per-bag service fee deducted from monthly eCheck payouts, the spread on secondhand sneaker resale, and material recycling partnerships. The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, anchored by self-serve partner registration, peer-to-peer sneaker drive campaigns, and an extensive library of co-marketing assets supplied to partners. Operating geographies are limited to the contiguous United States, and the company is bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional investors, acquisitions, or leadership changes beyond co-founder Eric Mesa.
GotSneakers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GotSneakers
- Legal name
- GotSneakers, LLC
- Website
- https://gotsneakers.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- GotSneakers is a Miami-based sneaker recycling company that collects used athletic footwear from individuals, schools, nonprofits, gyms, and retailers, grades each pair, and routes roughly 90% to secondhand resale and the remainder to material recycling, monetizing via a per-bag service fee and resale spread.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where GotSneakers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Miami
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
GotSneakers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Sneaker Collection Processing: GotSneakers charges a $3.00 service fee per bag to cover shipping, materials, warehousing, and labor costs. This fee is deducted from monthly payouts to partners.
- Sneaker Resale: Approximately 90% of collected sneakers are resold in domestic and global secondhand markets, extending footwear lifecycle and generating revenue through the circular economy model.
- Material Recycling: Sneakers that cannot be reused are recycled through trusted partners to create new products including countertops, shelves, insoles, laces, and new footwear. No sneakers go to landfill.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Pay-per-pair based on sneaker condition |
| Freemium | Monthly | Free program participation with service fee |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
GotSneakers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GotSneakers operates a zero-waste sneaker take-back and recycling program. Individuals, schools, nonprofits, gyms, and retailers sign up for free, receive collection bags and prepaid FedEx labels, ship in gently used sneakers, and are paid per qualifying pair based on condition. Approximately 90% of collected sneakers are resold in domestic and global secondhand markets, while the remainder is recycled through trusted partners into new products such as countertops, insoles, laces, and footwear. No sneakers are sent to landfills.
Product overview
GotSneakers is a zero-waste sneaker recycling company operating a single integrated platform with multiple partner-facing programs. The core Sneaker Recycling Platform handles collection, evaluation, sorting (reuse vs. recycling), and redistribution of athletic footwear. This platform is accessed through distinct partner programs: the Individual Seller Program for personal sneaker recycling, the Sneaker Drive Fundraiser for schools and nonprofits, the Gym & Fitness Partner Program, the Enterprise & Nonprofit Program, and the Retailers & Brands Program. Supporting sub-products include free FedEx/UPS shipping with prepaid labels, an eCheck payment system for monthly payouts, published Earnings Guidelines with tiered pricing ($1–$7 per pair), an Impact Calculator demonstrating environmental benefits, and downloadable annual Impact Reports documenting sustainability outcomes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sneaker Recycling Program (Core Platform) A zero-waste sneaker recycling platform that collects used athletic footwear, evaluates each pair by brand, condition, and measurement, and directs them to either reuse in secondhand markets or material recycling. Partners receive free collection bags and prepaid shipping labels.
- Individual Seller Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 5,350,000 pairs of shoes diverted from landfills
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use GotSneakers
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
GotSneakers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
GotSneakers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
GotSneakers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TerraCycle: Operates national and global recycling platforms for hard-to-recycle materials and consumer products, including Loop and brand take-back programs. Directly comparable as a for-profit recycler that monetizes collection logistics and material recovery, the same core model GotSneakers applies to footwear.
- ThredUp: Online resale platform that processes large volumes of secondhand apparel and shoes, operating a circular economy model monetized through resale of used goods. Directly comparable as a high-volume secondhand aggregator and reseller, though broader in category than GotSneakers.
Broad incumbents
- Nike Grind / Nike Reuse-A-Shoe: Nike's in-house sneaker recycling and refurbishment programs that grind old shoes into material for sports surfaces and new products. Comparable as a vertically integrated sneaker take-back competitor, especially for the brand-side partnership market GotSneakers targets.
- Patagonia Worn Wear: Patagonia's apparel take-back and resale program, allowing customers to trade in used gear for credit. Comparable as a brand-driven circularity initiative that demonstrates the same consumer behavior GotSneakers relies on for sneaker drives.
- The RealReal: Online luxury consignment and resale platform that authenticates, processes, and resells used apparel, shoes, and accessories. Comparable as a high-volume secondhand aggregator and reseller, with shared economics around grading, authentication, and margin capture.
Emerging players
- StockX: Online sneaker marketplace that authenticates and resells used and new sneakers globally, including a 'Re-Consigned' resale flow. Comparable because it monetizes the same secondhand sneaker demand that GotSneakers serves in its downstream resale channel.
- GOAT: Online sneaker marketplace focused on authentication and resale of new and used sneakers at scale. Comparable as a downstream buyer of used sneaker inventory and as a competitor for the secondhand sneaker resale market GotSneakers feeds into.
- Poshmark: Peer-to-peer fashion resale marketplace with a meaningful share of used footwear transactions. Comparable as a downstream channel for used-sneaker resale and as a model for the consumer-to-consumer used goods dynamic.
- Material Return: Specialty recycling and take-back services for hard-to-recycle consumer products including footwear and apparel. Comparable as a niche, purpose-driven recycler operating a similar collection-and-recovery model for footwear waste.
Others
- Renewcell: Pioneer in textile-to-textile recycling of cellulosic fibers, supplying recycled material back into apparel and footwear supply chains. Comparable as a downstream ecosystem participant in the circular fashion/footwear material recovery pipeline that GotSneakers ultimately feeds.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
GotSneakers social profiles
Digital presenceGotSneakers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GotSneakers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
GotSneakers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GotSneakers M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about GotSneakers
What does GotSneakers do?
GotSneakers operates a zero-waste sneaker take-back and recycling program. Individuals, schools, nonprofits, gyms, and retailers sign up for free, receive collection bags and prepaid FedEx labels, ship in gently used sneakers, and are paid per qualifying pair based on condition. Approximately 90% of collected sneakers are resold in domestic and global secondhand markets, while the remainder is recycled through trusted partners into new products such as countertops, insoles, laces, and footwear. No sneakers are sent to landfills.
Is GotSneakers a public or private company?
GotSneakers is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was GotSneakers founded?
GotSneakers was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is GotSneakers based?
GotSneakers is headquartered in Miami, United States, in the North America region.
How does GotSneakers make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Sneaker Collection Processing is the primary driver. The others are sneaker Resale and material Recycling.
Who are GotSneakers's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TerraCycle and ThredUp. Broad incumbents are Nike Grind / Nike Reuse-A-Shoe, Patagonia Worn Wear and The RealReal. Emerging players are StockX, GOAT, Poshmark and Material Return. Renewcell is listed as an others.
Does GotSneakers have an API?
No public API is recorded for GotSneakers.