Carbon-Captured Footwear Foams
On Scaled Its CleanCloud Carbon Capture Midsole to a Million Pairs
Adam Harrie — July 22, 2026
On launched the Cloud X 5, featuring 'CleanCloud,' with the carbon capture midsole marking the first time a sportswear brand has scaled an EVA midsole made from captured carbon emissions to over a million pairs. Industrial CO₂ is combined with green hydrogen to create e-naphtha, the base ingredient for EVA foam. According to a third-party life cycle assessment reviewed by TÜV, this process delivers a modeled carbon footprint at least 80% lower than conventional fossil-based EVA.
The CleanCloud material is molecularly identical to standard EVA, preserving the cushioning, agility and energy return associated with On's signature feel. What began as a five-pair proof of concept in 2022 reached commercial scale four years ahead of schedule.
On shows how converting industrial carbon emissions into a functional product input could reshape material sourcing across the footwear industry.
