Adidas & Parley Are Taking Steps To Save Our Oceans

A shoe made from recycled plastic.

Back in November, Adidas dropped 7,000 pairs of the “UltraBOOST Uncaged Parley”, a shoe made from recycled ocean plastic. They were sold at $220 a pop. In 2017, Adidas and Parley plan to continue their collaboration and are aiming to produce one million pairs by the end of the year. That will be an impressive amount of recycling of a jaw-dropping 11 million plastic bottles.

It was back in 2015 when Adidas released a prototype of the shoe made from ocean plastic. 95% of that plastic was scooped up from near the Maldives. This step is just a small drop in the ocean compared to the measures that need to be taken to tackle the overwhelming problem of plastic in our oceans. Adidas’ long-term goal is to adjust its supply chain to reduce its overall environmental impact and to continue this across all its other products.

Match Made In The Ocean

Adidas partnered with Parley for the Oceans, a non-profit charity who are working towards reducing plastic waste in the oceans. Parley’s objective is to boost public awareness and inspire new collaborations that can contribute to protect and preserve the oceans. So who better to work with than sportswear giant Adidas?

Adidas seem to be keen to make a change beyond just this partnership. They are recycling even more ocean plastic with Adidas Eezay Parley Thong Sandals and swimwear for men and women. It’s rumoured that they have a ban on plastic water bottles at their headquarters, and have plans to phase out plastic bags in their stores. There are even some limited edition Bayern Munich and Real Madrid football shirts for men and children available made from ocean plastic waste too.

Eight million tons of plastic end up in the world’s oceans each year. Right now there are 5.25 trillion pieces in the ocean, harming marine life. As plastic breaks down it produces toxic chemicals which sea creatures at all ends of the food chain consume, affecting them all. When reading statistics like these, it becomes obvious why large companies such as Adidas are starting to take action.

Feel-Good Factor

By purchasing these products made from ocean plastic, customers can show their appreciation and support for the cause. Guilt is an effective motivator for pro-environmental behavior, and activists are hopeful that this move from Adidas will encourage other large companies to get creative in the ways that they could make a positive environmental impact.

Adidas executive board member Eric Liedtke said:

“Together with the network of Parley for the Oceans, we have started taking action and creating new sustainable materials and innovations for athletes. We want to bring everyone from the industry to the table and create sustainable solutions for big global problems.”

Unfortunately, the Adidas x Parley shoe sold out quick-time back in November, so you’ll have to hold tight til the end of this year until you can get your mitts on a pair of these beautiful, ethical crepes!

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