Out of hundreds of companies examined, PUMA was amongst 11 in 2024 to be ranked in the fourth and highest “Leading” tier. Companies with this distinction showed an integrated materials strategy aligned with global goals, disclosed climate goals and targets and made progress towards a circular use of materials, Textile Exchange said. This year’s result is one step up from PUMA’s inclusion in the second-highest “Scaling” tier in 2023.

“We know how important our choice of product materials is, when we want to reduce our carbon footprint and lessen our environmental impact,” said Anne Laure Descours, PUMA’s Chief Sourcing Officer. “We are very happy to be ranked as ‘Leading’ in this years’ index and we will take it as an opportunity to further strengthen our materials strategy.”

PUMA has a 2025 target of making 9 out of 10 products with materials that are classified as preferred fibres by Textile Exchange or which originate from certified sources. In 2023, this was already the case for 8 out of 10 products. In 2023, 99.7% of all leather was sourced from Leather Working Group-certified tanneries and 99.2% of all cotton was certified or recycled as was 99.4% of all paper and cardboard packaging.  

Almost 65% of the polyester used for PUMA’s apparel and accessories in 2023 came from recycled materials and the company also started to scale up the use of recycled cotton. In 2024 PUMA announced that millions of football jerseys had been made with textile waste through its RE:FIBRE recycling initiative.

The Material Change Index is the largest peer-to-peer comparison initiative in the industry and aims to help track the sector’s progress in fibre and materials sourcing, strategy and the circular transition. The aim of the organization is to help the fashion industry achieve a 45% reduction in greenhouse gases from raw material production by 2030. 

For more detailed information on the Vision 2030 targets, please click here.
 

There’s only one Forever. Let’s make it Better. 

Launched in 2021, the Laureus Sport for Good Index celebrates brands that, through collaboration, innovation and creativity, are making significant contributions across the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as aligning their business output with their sports investments and activations.

The Index shines a light on organizations that are having the clearest and most meaningful impact, and to provide compelling evidence for the role that sport can play in driving sustainable change. The brands feature in the Index for their best-in-class sport for good campaigns and purpose-led initiatives implemented over the past 18 months.

Astin Ewington, Head of Partnerships, Laureus: “We are thrilled to unveil the 2024 Laureus Sport for Good Index, which continues to showcase the immense potential of sport as a force for positive change. The brands featured this year are leading the way in addressing some of the world’s most pressing social and ecological challenges through innovative, purpose-driven initiatives. By highlighting their efforts, we hope to inspire more companies to leverage sport as a platform to create meaningful impact and contribute to a more equitable and sustainable future.” 

PUMA initiatives recognized by the Index include:

VOICES OF A RE:GENERATION - After research which found that young people want brands to make more sustainability commitments, better communicate their goals and be more transparent, PUMA launched their Voices of a RE:GENERATION initiative. The initiative saw the company engage four young sustainability advocates who not only produce social content that helps raise awareness of PUMA’s sustainability targets among younger consumers, but also actively feedback to the brand about how it can improve its ‘FOREVER. BETTER’ sustainability practices.

Meanwhile, PUMA’s ‘RE:FIBRE’ polyester textile-to-textile recycling programme aims to reduce textile waste and make the company less reliant on plastic bottles for recycled polyester. All told, 46,000 RE:FIBRE garments were produced in 2023. Then, from the start of the 2024/25 soccer season, PUMA announced the scaling up of the programme, with millions of PUMA replica soccer jerseys made using RE: FIBRE, further spotlighting a more circular business model for jersey manufacturing.

This year, PUMA also launched an experimental commercial version of its RE:SUEDE sneaker in Europe. Leading up to this, as part of a two-year pilot project experiment that concluded in 2023, PUMA showed it was able to successfully turn the RE:SUEDE into compost under tailor-made industrial composting conditions. The RE:SUEDE can be sent back to PUMA at end of life who send them on to partners in the Netherlands for composting.  

The Index can be viewed and downloaded in full at laureussportforgoodindex.com 

Key developments Q3 2024

• Currency-adjusted sales up 5.0%, with growth supported by all three regions Americas, Asia/Pacific and EMEA 
• Currency-adjusted sales growth driven by Footwear and Wholesale returns to growth
• Sales in euro terms remain flat at € 2,308 million with ongoing currency headwinds
• Gross profit margin improves by 80 basis points to 47.9% 
• Operating expenses (OPEX) increase by 1.1% to € 873 million
• Operating result (EBIT) up by 0.3% to € 237 million 
• 2024 outlook confirmed: currency-adjusted sales growth at a mid-single-digit percentage rate and EBIT in a range between € 620 million and € 670 million 

Sales grew currency adjusted (ca) by 5.0% to € 2,308.2 million, supported by growth in the Americas, Asia/Pacific and EMEA. Currencies continued to be a headwind, negatively impacting sales in euro terms by approximately € 100 million in Q3 2024 (-0.1% reported growth rate).

Sales in the Americas region increased by 11.4% (ca) to € 872.2 million, with the U.S. and Latin America contributing to the growth. As anticipated, the U.S. market returned to growth in Q3. Latin America grew during the quarter, while continuing to be impacted by the ramp-up of warehouse operations. The Asia/Pacific region recorded sales growth of 3.0% (ca) to € 430.4 million, showing a sequential improvement despite softer consumer demand in Greater China. In the EMEA region, sales increased by 0.8% (ca) to € 1,005.5 million, driven by continued growth in Europe, which was partially offset by a decline in EEMEA due to muted consumer sentiment in the Middle East and a strong prior year quarter (EEMEA grew +64% ca in Q3 2023).

PUMA’s Wholesale business returned to growth, improving by 1.5% (ca) to € 1,728.2 million. The strong focus on sell-through in the first half of 2024 laid the foundation for a stronger sell-in in the second half of 2024. Our Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) business grew in line with the strong year-to-date trajectory by 17.0% (ca) to € 580.0 million, which reflects the continued brand momentum. Sales in owned & operated retail stores increased 12.8% (ca) and e-commerce increased 26.4% (ca). This resulted in an increased DTC share of 25.1% (Q3 2023: 22.7%).

Sales in Footwear increased by 9.3% (ca) to € 1,240.3 million, driven by growth in Performance, led by Football and Running, and in Sportstyle, led by Core and Kids. Sales in Accessories grew by 2.9% (ca) to € 304.2 million, while Apparel decreased by 0.7% (ca) to 
€ 763.6 million.

The gross profit margin improved by 80 basis points to 47.9% (Q3 2023: 47.1%). The continued improvement was based on a favourable product mix, freight and sourcing prices. This was partially offset by ongoing currency headwinds and higher promotional activities in certain markets in Latin America and EEMEA.

Operating expenses (OPEX) increased by 1.1% to € 873.4 million (Q3 2023: € 863.7 million). The increase was mainly driven by the continued growth of our DTC business, warehouse ramp-up costs and digital infrastructure projects. This was partially offset by lower bonus-related marketing payments and a shift of marketing investments to Q4 2024, while non-demand generating costs continued to be strictly controlled. Currency headwinds also weighed on the OPEX ratio, which increased by 50 basis points to 37.8% (Q3 2023: 37.4%).

The operating result (EBIT) increased by 0.3% to 237.0 million (Q3 2023: € 236.3 million), mainly due to an improved gross profit margin. The EBIT margin came in at 10.3% (Q3 2023: 10.2%).

The financial result amounted to € -46.7 million (Q3 2023: € -45.5 million), which is in line with the prior year. 

Net income decreased by 3.0% to € 127.8 million (Q3 2023: € 131.7 million) and earnings per share amounted to € 0.86 (Q3 2023: € 0.88). This was mainly due to a higher net income attributable to non-controlling interests as a result of a stronger socks and bodywear business in the U.S.

Sales increased by 2.6% (ca) to € 6,527.8 million, with currency headwinds having a negative impact on sales in euro terms (-1.4% reported).

The Americas region led the growth with a sales increase of 7.2% (ca) to € 2,549.7 million, followed by the Asia/Pacific region with a sales increase of 1.8% (ca) to € 1,298.9 million, while sales in the EMEA region declined by 1.1% (ca) to € 2,679.2 million.

PUMA’s Wholesale business declined by 1.5% (ca) to € 4,866.0 million as a result of our strong focus on sell-through in the first half of 2024 to lay the foundation for a stronger sell-in in the second half of 2024 and 2025. Our Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) business increased by 16.8% (ca) to € 1,661.8 million. Sales in owned & operated retail stores grew 14.8% (ca) and e-commerce increased 20.7% (ca). This resulted in an increased DTC share of 25.5% (9M 2023: 22.7%).

Among product divisions, sales in Footwear increased by 4.2% (ca) to € 3,518.8 million and Apparel grew by 1.9% (ca) to € 2,077.4 million. Accessories decreased by 1.8% (ca) to € 931.7 million. 

The gross profit margin increased by 130 basis points to 47.4% (9M 2023: 46.2%). Headwinds from currencies and promotions were more than offset by a favourable product and distribution channel mix as well as tailwinds from sourcing and freight. 

Operating expenses (OPEX) increased by 1.7% to € 2,598.0 million (9M 2023: € 2,555.5 million). The continued growth of our DTC business and ramp-up costs for warehouse and digital infrastructure projects were the main drivers of this increase, while non-demand generating costs remained under strict control. In addition, currency effects weighed on the OPEX ratio, resulting in an overall increase of 120 basis points to 39.8% (9M 2023: 38.6%).

The operating result (EBIT) decreased by 2.7% to € 513.2 million (9M 2023: € 527.2 million), which resulted in an EBIT margin of 7.9% (9M 2023: 8.0%). Gross profit margin improvements were more than offset by currency headwinds and higher OPEX.

The financial result decreased to € -116.2 million (9M 2023: € -76.2 million) due to a lower interest result and higher currency related losses.

Consequently, net income decreased by 15.4% to € 257.1 million (9M 2023: € 304.0 million) and earnings per share amounted to € 1.72 (9M 2023: € 2.03).

Share Buyback

The share buyback programme announced by PUMA SE on 29 February 2024 began on 07 March 2024. During Q3, 422,855 shares were bought back for € 18.5 million. As of 30 September 2024, a total of 1,123,268 shares had been repurchased for € 49.8 million.

Working Capital

The working capital increased by 4.9% to € 1,883.5 million (30 September 2023: € 1,794.9 million). Inventories decreased by 3.3% to € 1,811.3 million (30 September 2023: € 1,874.1 million). On a currency adjusted basis, inventories were up 3.8%. Inventories remain at healthy levels with a strong increase in goods in transit to serve the new product cycle from Q4 2024 onwards. Trade receivables increased by 4.0% to € 1,515.6 million (30 September 2023: 
€ 1,457.3 million). Trade payables increased by 5.5% to € 1,297.9 million (30 September 2023: € 1,230.1 million).

Outlook 2024

The first nine months of the year were characterised by a volatile environment with continued currency headwinds, stressed supply chains and muted consumer sentiment globally. In this challenging environment, PUMA continued to make progress on its brand elevation journey and in building the foundation of accelerated and sustainable growth by enhancing its distinctive brand equity and desirability, strengthening its performance business, and building up consumer relevance in the Sportstyle Prime market.

Based on the results of the first nine months of the year and supported by building brand momentum as well as by our strong orderbook for the remainder of the year, PUMA reiterates its outlook for the financial year 2024 of mid-single-digit currency-adjusted sales growth and an operating result (EBIT) in the range of € 620 million to € 670 million (2023: € 621.6 million). We continue to expect net income (2023: € 304.9 million) to change in 2024 in line with the operating result.

As in previous years, PUMA will continue to focus on managing short-term challenges without compromising the brand's medium- and long-term momentum. The very positive feedback from our retail partners and consumers on our upcoming Q4 2024 product drops, 2025 product line-up and go-to-market strategies gives us confidence for the medium and long-term success and continued growth of PUMA.

Q3 Brand & Product Update

Continued progress in Brand Elevation

• Speedcat named in top 3 of “hottest products” in Q3 Lyst Index, which ranks the most sought-after items in global fashion 
• Brand Campaign “See The Game Like We Do” leads to improved awareness and consideration among consumers, especially in the Americas
• PUMA welcomes F1 Scuderia Ferrari HP driver Charles Leclerc as global brand ambassador
• PUMA signs NBA All Star Tyrese Haliburton, who has gained many fans in both the U.S. & China with his stylish presence on and off the court

Ongoing Momentum in Performance

• Paris Olympics 2024 mark the most successful games in PUMA’s history with PUMA Athletes winning an incredible 66 medals, including 19 Gold in Olympics and Paralympics, all of them wearing PUMA Nitro technology
• PUMA’s Nitro technology made Armand “Mondo” Duplantis once again improve his pole vault world record to 6.26m at Silesia Diamond League
• Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Armand “Mondo” Duplantis have been crowned 2024 European Athletes of the Year
• PUMA signs U.S. sprint sensation Christian Miller, who ran 100m in under 10 seconds at only 17 years old
• PUMA was the top brand at the 2024 New York City Marathon and its Deviate Nitro Elite 3 edged out the competition as the fastest shoe among the top 20 men and women, according to running platform Run Outside Online 
• PUMA introduces latest versions of ULTRA, FUTURE and KING football boots as part of Lights Out pack
• PUMA and Manchester City launch “Definitely City” kit, co-designed by Noel Gallagher
• Fourth edition of LaMelo Ball’s signature shoe MB.04 continues to be a bestseller with the next generation of consumers

Transition in Sportstyle Prime on Track

• PUMA builds up further momentum in low profile with additional colours of the Speedcat and strong sell-through in elevated distributions channels
• A$AP Rocky’s latest designs of Mostro and Inhale create strong buzz ahead of commercial launch of Inhale in Q4
• Rihanna’s new Fenty x PUMA Avanti sneaker campaign features Romeo Beckham 
• PUMA sees ongoing strong momentum for Palermo and Suede XL in its strategy to maximise the current trends
• LaMelo Ball’s off-court sneaker LaFrancé gains further momentum with new drops
• PUMA teams up with fashion brand Heliot Emil and luxury streetwear brand KIDSUPER to excite consumers with strong storylines and elevated product designs

Stitch + Spice, a short film by Luke Jaque-Rodney, one of PUMA's Voices of a RE:GENERATION has been officially selected for Documentary Short at the 6th Big Syn International Film Festival in London.  

Voices of a RE:GENERATION is a PUMA initiative highlighting young changemakers driving positive change in their communities. Through this platform, PUMA aims to inspire the next generation to support a more sustainable future and forms part of the brand’s wider missions to communicate sustainability in a transparent and digestible way. Stitch + Spice is a short documentary captured at PUMA's supplier factories in Vietnam and Bangladesh featuring Luke, a food and nutrition vlogger, who shares meals and engages with garment workers, showcasing their lives, perspectives and cultures. Earlier this year Stitch & Spice was nominated for best sustainability fashion film at the London Fashion Film Festival and received a 2024 Impact Docs Merit Award.

The Big Syn online festival screening which took place from 17-26 October featured nearly 150 films reaching over 45 million people in 120 countries led by a Grand Jury of OSCAR, BAFTA and EMMY award-winners and leaders from the United Nations, House of Lords, as well as sustainability, policy and media stalwarts.  

Festival founders, Dr Ragini G Roy and Dr Sourav Roy, commented "The festival features films from student filmmakers to ones from global legends such as OSCAR winners Sir Ian McKellen (X Men, Lord of the Rings) and Sir David Mark Rylance (Spielberg's The BFG) amongst others; documentaries from acclaimed EMMY and BAFTA winning filmmakers."

Winners will be declared on 8th November at the red-carpet gala awards ceremony at Curzon Soho and all the winners will be featured on Europe's biggest screen, London's Piccadilly Lights on 14th November 2024.   

Sports company PUMA is part of the multi-brand consortium which unveiled the world’s first piece of clothing made entirely from textile waste by using a new biorecycling technology developed by French company CARBIOS.

The project created a plain white T-shirt, which was made from mixed and colored textile waste. By using CARBIOS’ biorecycling technology, the polyester was broken down using enzymes into its fundamental building blocks to produce biorecycled polyester. The quality of the recycled textiles is on par with oil-based virgin polyester.

“PUMA’s wish is to have 100% of our polyester coming from textile waste. Today’s announcement is an important milestone towards achieving this and making our industry more circular,” said Anne-Laure Descours, Chief Sourcing Officer at PUMA. “We now need to work together to make sure we can scale up this technology to make the largest possible impact. We’re excited to be part of this breakthrough and setting new standards for fibre-to-fibre recycling.”

The aim of the consortium is to collectively advance the textile industry's shift towards a circular economy by developing and industrializing CARBIOS’ enzymatic depolymerization technology to achieve 100% “fibre-to-fibre” recycling. By doing so, petroleum can be replaced by textile waste as a raw material to produce polyester textiles. These textiles can once again become raw materials, thus fueling a circular economy with the added benefit of a lower carbon footprint and the avoidance of waste that ends up in landfills or incinerators.  

“It may look like an ordinary t-shirt, but make no mistake, the technology behind it is extraordinary,” said CARBIOS CEO Emmanuel Ladent. “To achieve “fibre-to-fibre” recycling is a technological feat.  CARBIOS couldn’t have done it alone, so thanks to the collaboration with our consortium partners, we have overcome many technical hurdles together to produce the world’s first enzymatically recycled t-shirt made entirely from biorecycled fibres.”

Currently, the majority of recycled polyester in the industry is made from PET bottles, and only 1% of fibres are recycled into new fibres. The collective achievement marks an important milestone for the consortium’s ultimate aim of demonstrating a closed fibre-to-fibre loop using CARBIOS’ biorecycling process at an industrial scale.  

A two-time NBA All-Star for 2023 and 2024, 2024 NBA Assists Leader of the Year, All-NBA Team member in 2024, 2021 NBA All-Rookie First Team and most recently a 2024 Paris Olympics Gold Medalist for the USA Basketball Men’s Olympic Team, Haliburton has consistently showcased his elite skills on the court. Known for his exceptional passing, scoring ability, and electric style of play, Haliburton has quickly become one of the league's most exciting young players.

“I’m super excited to announce that I’ve joined the PUMA Family,” said Haliburton. “I look forward to being a part of their commitment to the next generation of basketball. PUMA’s vision and dedication to supporting athletes align perfectly with my goals, and I’m excited to represent the brand on and off the court.” 

Haliburton's signing marks a significant milestone for PUMA Hoops as the brand solidifies its position as a leader in basketball. PUMA Hoops is dedicated to empowering the next generation of basketball stars.

Haliburton will be seen on NBA courts sporting PUMA's latest performance technology shoe, the All-Pro NITRO. Designed to deliver unmatched comfort, support, and responsiveness, the All-Pro NITRO is the perfect shoe for athletes who demand the best.

Global sports brand PUMA has launched the latest chapter of its first worldwide brand campaign in 10 years “FOREVER. FASTER. – See The Game Like We Do.” The newest chapter is dedicated to establishing the brand’s position as a leader in basketball and igniting the future of its hoops division.

This 2024 Hoops campaign is all about seeing the game differently and invites all to see the game like we do: determined to win, ready to show out, and playing for the joy of the game. The campaign features PUMA Hoops athletes Breanna Stewart, Flau’jae Johnson, Scoot Henderson, LaMelo Ball, and the brand’s most recent signee Tyrese Haliburton, and draws upon each player’s unique perspective on the game. Each athlete brings their own individual story, their own crew, and a unique style of play, and together they embody the FOREVER. FASTER. mantra.

“Since the start we’ve always tried to tell the story of basketball through the lens of the player, seeing the game the way they do, both on the court and off the court. This approach has allowed us to connect those unique viewpoints with disruptive product and storytelling - impactful to anyone around the game,” says Global Head of PUMA Basketball, Max Staiger, “This Campaign, for the first time, brings together
our complete narrative showcasing how Stewie, Melo, Flau’Jae, Scoot, and Tyrese embody the PUMA Hoops’ disruptive and inclusive spirit.”

The legacy of PUMA Basketball dates back to 1973, championing some of the greatest names in basketball history and developing cutting edge performance shoes, such as the iconic Clyde model, that provided sporting excellence and helped carry legendary victories. PUMA returned to basketball in 2018, merging sport with culture while introducing a new wave of PUMA basketball athletes who are known for their talent and style on and off the court. PUMA continues to push the sport forward through cutting edge technology and product innovations, boundarypushing designs and cultivated circle of creative partners and its growing, talented athlete roster.

“This campaign is a message to the world that PUMA is doubling down on hoops,” shares Richard Teyssier, Vice President Brand and Marketing. “The campaign showcases the tenacious spirit we have for the game and the investment we are willing to make to show up as a powerhouse and continue carving our legacy. This dedicated campaign will continue to thread our message across the business and amplify our holistic vision for the brand.”

“FOREVER. FASTER – See The Game Like We Do.” debuts globally on October 18th and will launch across the entire mixed media, including out of home campaigns in New York, Los Angeles, Charlotte, and Miami, as well as across social media, TV and more. The campaign will include a hero brand film and supporting creative assets with featured athletes. An official NBA media partnership will also amplify the campaign to hoops fans worldwide.

The young Floridian first grabbed headlines in July 2023, when he raced to a 100-meter victory in 10.08 seconds at the USA Track & Field U-20 Outdoor National Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, recording the fourth-fastest American high school 100-meter time on record. 

In April 2024, Miller continued his electrifying form, running a 100-meter personal best of 9.93 seconds at only 17 years old. His sub-10 second PB was a new Under-18 world record, an American Under-20 record and the third fastest time ever by an Under-20.

“Christian is without doubt the most exciting male sprint prospect we have seen in a long time, and he is already making history on the track by setting junior records,” said Pascal Rolling, Director Sports Marketing at PUMA. “His performances are well beyond his years, and his decision to turn professional speaks volumes about his character. We are ecstatic to have him join the PUMA family.” 

Charles Leclerc has continued to showcase his exceptional talent and skill, solidifying his position as one of the top drivers in Formula 1. Leclerc has demonstrated his exceptional qualifying prowess and raw speed, with three pole positions this season. His most memorable achievements came with two prestigious victories—first at the iconic Monaco Grand Prix, his home race, where he thrilled local fans with a dominant win, and later at Monza, where he conquered the famed “Temple of Speed” in front of the passionate Tifosi. 

The strategic partnership aims to drive awareness for the brand, connecting with fans of both motorsport and fashion, and reinforcing PUMA’s impact in these spaces. The collaboration will spotlight Leclerc in a range of high-profile PUMA collections, with a particular emphasis on the PUMA Motorsport for Scuderia Ferrari collections, across various global channels.

“We are more than excited to welcome Charles to the PUMA family. His unique blend of being a professional athlete in Formula One and a fashion enthusiast off the track makes him a perfect fit for our brand. Charles will not only serve as a motorsport ambassador but he will also play a vital role in various projects and initiatives that extend beyond the racetrack. There are a lot of exciting projects in the pipeline, and we can't wait to continue shaping our motorsport legacy together with Charles.” said Arne Freundt, CEO of PUMA.

With this collaboration, PUMA and Charles will jointly highlight the brand’s ability to blend high-performance functionality with innovative designs, appeling to a wide audience that ranges from trackside fans to those who embrace streetstyle.

For Charles, the partnership is more than a sponsorship—it’s a convergence of values and vision. 

This authentic and genuine match between PUMA and Charles Leclerc is grounded in shared values, a mutual passion for pushing the boundaries, and a desire to inspire. Together, PUMA and Charles Leclerc are ready to drive new levels of excitement, awareness, and influence across motorsport and beyond—making this collaboration a natural fit and a powerful alliance for the future.

In response to growing consumer demand for greater transparency from the fashion industry, PUMA launches #KnowYourStuff, an educational content series which delves into one of today’s most debated fashion topics - leather vs vegan leather – and the environmental impact of both.

Created in collaboration with Aishwarya Sharma, one of PUMA’s ‘Voices’ and Global Goals Ambassador, #KnowYourStuff translates the complexities and progressions around the use of leather and its alternatives. Available to view on PUMA YouTube and Aishwarya’s Instagram platform from today, the seven episode story will roll out over the next two weeks.  

"By openly discussing the complexities of the materials used in our products, like leather and its alternatives, we hope to foster a more informed and balanced conversation about sustainable clothing and footwear choices, which is essential for driving positive change,”  said Anne-Laure Descours, Chief Sourcing Officer at PUMA. “The #KnowYourStuff series is a testament to our commitment of transparency and our promise made during our Conference of the People event to include the next generation as part of these important discussions." 

#KnowYourStuff forms part of PUMA’s commitment and actions for greater transparency in sustainability, in which Aishwarya is one of four Voices of a RE:GENERATION enlisted by PUMA to help translate sustainability in a way that engages the next generation.  

"My goal with #KnowYourStuff is to educate and empower my audience and young people worldwide,” said Aishwarya Sharma. “Sustainability can be complex and the leather topic is embedded with sensitive themes, so I’ve taken care in making sure this is approached in an open and transparent way that inspires people to become informed about the materials they choose to wear.”

From visiting the PUMA Archive to witnessing behind the scenes leather processing first-hand in Thailand, Aishwarya 

reports back on her fact-finding mission, encouraging audiences to #KnowYourStuff. Along her journey, Aishwarya navigates different perspectives surrounding leather with guests, including leading PUMA stakeholders and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). Key conversations include animal welfare and the use of leather as a byproduct of the beef industry, cattle farming and concerns around deforestation, the leather tanning process, new material innovations and industry challenges.

While PUMA has a long history with leather, dating back to the 1950s, today, leather accounts for only approximately 4% of its footwear materials. PUMA’s 10For25 targets include sourcing 100% leather from certified sources and today the brand works with third parties, such as Leather Working Group, to ensure all leather is sourced from certified tanneries. Additionally, PUMA consults animal protection organisations on a regular basis to review its animal welfare policy and actions.  

Watch the first episode of #KnowYourStuff below or visit our webpage.

Hosted in collaboration between PUMA, Red Bull and Weltklasse Zürich, the two track stars will clash at the legendary Letzigrund Stadium on Wednesday 4 September, ahead of the Weltklasse Zürich Diamond League meeting the following day. The event marks the culmination of a long-standing back-and-forth between the two iconic athletes, which has been simmering since July 2023.

A short clip shared on social media last summer, in which the pair discuss the prospect of racing one another, had sports fans across the globe fizzing with excitement; now that tantalising prospect is to become a reality as the two stars battle it out over the definitive sprint distance to see which one really is the fastest.

Warholm is the reigning 400-meter hurdles world record holder, an Olympic gold and silver medalist and three-time world champion, whilst Duplantis is the newly-crowned double Olympic champion and has broken the pole vault world record a staggering nine times.

Despite the two superstars competing in different events, their respective personal bests in the 100-meters are not so far apart. Warholm recorded 10.49 seconds back in 2017 whilst Duplantis clocked a 10.57 as a high school senior just a year later – making the contest incredibly tough to call, and all the more exciting for spectators who are set for an incredible night of action.

Tickets will go on sale at 09:00 (CET) on Wednesday 14 August via weltklassezuerich.ch/special