adidas To Double Production on Shoes Created From Plastic Waste

Written by: Kimberly White

Sporting good giant adidas announced earlier this month that the company would more than double their production of shoes containing recycled plastic waste.

adidas has steadily increased production over the years, going from producing 1 million pairs in 2017 to 5 million pairs in 2018. For 2019, adidas plans to produce 11 million pairs.

“With adidas products made from recycled plastic, we offer our consumers real added value beyond the look, functionality and quality of the product, because every shoe is a small contribution to the preservation of our oceans. After one million pairs of shoes produced in 2017, five million in 2018, we plan to produce eleven million pairs of shoes containing recycled ocean plastic in 2019,” said Eric Liedtke, adidas Executive Board member responsible for Global Brands.

In collaboration with Parley Ocean Plastics, all adidas Parley products contain Parley Ocean Plastic which is collected from shorelines and coastal areas such as the Maldives and is upcycled into yarn for the shoes.

As of 2019, the adidas and Parley collaboration is extending beyond footwear. Earlier this year, adidas and the National Hockey League (NHL) unveiled the ADIZERO Authentic jerseys for the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Game. The jerseys are the first-ever NHL jerseys created with repurposed and upcycled materials.

adidas Tennis and Parley have also joined forces on a collection for the Australian Open. The Australian Open Parley collection features both women’s and men’s apparel and footwear.

This is just the latest in adidas’ commitment to sustainability. At COP24 in Katowice, Poland, the company signed the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action. According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), the charter is industry-led and will be supported by a range of NGOs and organizations to foster ambition. Actions will be tracked and recognized by UN Climate Change. adidas joined forty-two industry leaders including GAP INC., Target, and Levi Strauss & Co.

By signing the Charter, adidas agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 30% by 2030 and use only recycled polyester in every product and on every application by 2024.

On the brand’s commitment to sustainability, Gil Steyaert, Executive Board member for Global Operations stated, “Sustainability at adidas goes far beyond recycled plastic. We also continue to improve our environmental performance during the manufacturing of our products. This includes the use of sustainable materials, the reduction of CO2 emissions and waste prevention. In 2018 alone, we saved more than 40 tons of plastic waste in our offices, retail stores, warehouses and distribution centers worldwide and replaced it with more sustainable solutions.”

Header Image: adidas