Shoes made of recycled plastic waste
The sporting goods manufacturer Adidas plans to produce more than twice as many sports shoes with recycled plastic waste in 2019.
In 2018, the sports fashion company adidas produced more than five million pairs of shoes containing recycled plastic waste. The company has now announced this. This year, adidas plans to more than double this figure. As part of a partnership between the sporting goods manufacturer and the environmental organisation Parley for the Oceans, plastic waste was collected from beaches such as the Maldives before it reached the oceans. Adidas uses it to make a yarn that is used for the upper material of the shoes. In addition to shoes, the company also produces clothing from the recycled material, such as the Champions League jersey of FC Bayern Munich and the outfit of tennis player Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open.
“With adidas products made from recycled plastic, we offer our customers 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 want to produce eleven million pairs of shoes with recycled plastic waste next year,” said Eric Liedtke, adidas Executive Board member responsible for Global Brands.
Recently, adidas signed the Climate Change Charter for the fashion industry at the UN Climate Change Conference in Katowice, Poland, which includes a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030. In addition, adidas aims to use recycled polyester in all products by 2024. Where the use of plastics – for example in transport packaging – is still unavoidable, adidas is focusing on compensatory measures and promoting sustainable alternatives.
