A new initiative in Melbourne is transforming discarded tennis balls into footwear, aiming to tackle the environmental impact of the sport. Each year, Australians utilize approximately 10 million tennis balls, with a significant number ultimately ending up in landfills.
Sustainability Victoria has provided a grant of $50,000 to the Melbourne-based company Ludis to expand its tennis ball recycling efforts. The popularity of tennis in Australia continues to thrive, as evidenced by the daily opening of fresh cans of tennis balls. However, seasoned players know that these balls quickly lose their effectiveness.
“They don’t last very long,” noted tennis enthusiast Lilian Xu. Drawing from her experiences as a competitor, she recalled, “During competitions, a new can of tennis balls was always provided for each match, and afterward, they would just be discarded.”
According to Tennis Australia, there are over 1.4 million regular tennis players in the country. This means that whether it’s a casual player enjoying a morning match or a professional athlete, the volume of tennis balls used can accumulate rapidly. Ian Robson, the CEO of Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, which is often regarded as the heart of Australian tennis, highlighted the extensive use of tennis balls at his club. “We go through tens of thousands of balls each year due to our various programs and competitions,” he explained, adding that members are particular about the type of balls used depending on the surface.
While many used balls may find temporary second lives in backyard cricket or as dog toys, the majority ultimately end up in landfills. An estimated 10 million tennis balls are discarded annually in Australia, but Lilian Xu believes there is a better solution.
In 2024, while participating in an entrepreneurship program at her university, Xu was motivated to address this pressing issue. Having worked at eight Australian Open events, she was acutely aware of the waste generated by used tennis balls. Her concept involves collecting these balls, shredding them, and repurposing the material for rubber shoe soles. “We have set up bins at various clubs for people to drop off their used balls,” she explained.
Currently, 30 tennis clubs across Victoria, including Kooyong, have joined this initiative. “It aligns perfectly with our goals,” stated Robson. “This ongoing challenge presents a significant opportunity for us as we frequently use tennis balls. If we can incorporate them into shoe soles, it would be a practical solution.”
However, Xu clarified that recycled tennis ball shoes are not expected to make an appearance at Rod Laver Arena anytime soon. “We’re primarily collaborating with brands that focus on casual footwear rather than high-performance shoes. Different footwear types necessitate distinct sole materials, so our initial focus is on simple casual designs.”
Ludis has received a $50,000 grant from Sustainability Victoria to support the expansion of this program. Matt Genever, the CEO of Sustainability Victoria, commented, “We have a strong passion for our sports in Australia, but they come with environmental consequences. Innovations like this are essential for Victoria, where we produce 14 million tonnes of waste, with 4.5 million tonnes going to landfills each year. Approximately 1,000 tonnes of sporting equipment is included in that waste.”
Many of these items consist of various sporting balls made from rubber, felt, and leather. Xu believes that these materials could also be repurposed for future footwear. “This is a widespread problem not only in tennis but across all sports,” she remarked. “Tennis is particularly meaningful to me, so I’m eager to address this issue, one sport at a time.”
