Adidas Plans To Use Ocean Plastic To Make 11 Million Pairs Of Shoes

In 2015, Adidas partnered with environmental conservationists Parley for the Oceans to create a line of footwear and apparel which does its part to keep our oceans clean. Made of plastic waste intercepted from the beach before it enters the water, the Adidas x Parley line has been extremely successful and is continuing to grow.

With consumers clamoring for those environmentally-friendly sneakers, Adidas is prepared to ramp up production in 2019. Not only are the Parley shoes sustainable, but they are also fashionable with several models now available. Varying in price from $160 to $220, they are not cheap, but they rate well with consumers. For example, the Parley Ultraboost rates highly on running sneaker review site Run Repeat, with more than 1200 reviews. They are particularly noted for their comfort while running, as well as the range of colors available.

Apart from shoes, Adidas is also partnering with designers like Stella McCartney to create stylish, sustainable sportswear. However, the initiative doesn’t stop there. It runs through the whole manufacturing process and in Adidas’ offices. In manufacturing, Adidas focuses on using sustainable materials, cutting CO2 emissions, and waste prevention.

While Adidas admits that it isn't possible to get rid of all plastic, citing transport plastic as a paradigm, they do try to offset those usages. They have donated €1.5 million (about $1.7 million) to Fashion for Good, a platform for sustainable fashion, to counterbalance the environmental impact of their plastic usage. By stepping up, Adidas is leading the way for other companies to innovate in the use of materials and to examine their practices to make our planet a better place.