Adidas shoes – revolution of sportswear

?Adidas is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the world, after Nike. It makes over 400 million pairs of shoes every year. Manufacturing that many shoes requires a lot of resources. But creating new materials isn’t great for the environment. So, the company decided to use a different source.

?Scientists’ predictions say that in 30 years, there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish. One study estimates that 90% of seabirds have consumed some forms of plastic waste. All that beach and ocean pollution is harmful to both marine life and humans. That’s why Adidas is trying to stop some of that plastic before it reaches the ocean.

?In 2015, Adidas partnered with the environmental organization Parley for the Oceans. Their goal was to turn marine pollution into sportswear. It led them into huge progress. And the most interesting question now is: “How are these shoes made?”

?The story begins at the beach. Parley and its partners collect trash from coastal areas like the Maldives. They sort the waste then and the recovered plastic is sent to an Adidas processing plant.
The plastic bottles Adidas uses contain polyethylene, terephthalate, or PET. In case, it is something Adidas can’t use, like caps and rings, it gets sent to normal recycling facilities.

?The most fantastic thing is that the processing plant crushes, washes, and dehydrates the waste, leaving nothing but small plastic flakes. After this process the flakes are heated, dried, and cooled, then cut into small resin pellets.

?Generally, polyester is made from petroleum. But Adidas melts these pellets to create a filament, which is spun into what they call Ocean Plastic. Adidas uses Ocean Plastic, a form of polyester yarn, to form the upper parts of shoes and clothing like jerseys.

?In the end, each item in the Parley collection is made from at least 75% intercepted marine trash, and they still meet the same performance and comfort standards of Adidas’ other shoes. Recycled polyester helps prevent plastic pollution, uses less water and fewer chemicals.

?By 2024, Adidas’ goal is to replace all virgin polyester with recycled polyester. Currently, more than 40% of Adidas’ apparel uses recycled polyester. You may have noticed Adidas’ recycled sportswear without even paying attention on it. Clothing made with Ocean Plastic has been widely used in college football, baseball, the NHL, the Australian Open, and more. However, this doesn’t eliminate plastic pollution entirely. Washing polyester clothing can, unfortunately, create microfibers, which may end up in the ocean. Adidas suggests customers washing their clothes rarely, use cold water, and fully fill the machine each time. But this is just the first step.

?The Futurecraft Loop is a 100% recyclable shoe also developed by Adidas. This shoe is made to be remade, because it can be broken down to create a brand-new pair. Futurecraft Loop is expected to be available in 2021!
With the help of Parley for the Oceans, Adidas is using readily available material to manufacture new products, which is a big step towards a sustainable future.