How Adidas Turns Plastic Bottles Into Shoes

Summary

Adidas is taking significant steps toward sustainability by partnering with Parley for the Oceans to combat plastic pollution. With a goal to produce 11 million shoes from recycled ocean plastic by 2019, the company aims to mitigate the environmental impact of marine waste. The process involves collecting plastic from beaches, processing it into usable materials, and creating sportswear that is at least 75% made from intercepted marine trash. Adidas also plans to replace all virgin polyester with recycled polyester by 2024 and is developing a fully recyclable shoe called the Futurecraft Loop, marking a pivotal move toward a more sustainable future.

Takeaways

• 🌊 Adidas produces over 400 million pairs of shoes each year, requiring significant resources.
• ♻️ The company aims to reduce environmental harm by using recycled materials instead of constantly creating new ones.
• 🐠 Experts predict that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish, highlighting the urgency of the issue.
• 📉 Adidas has partnered with Parley for the Oceans since 2015 to address marine pollution and turn it into sportswear.
• 👟 In 2019, Adidas projected to produce 11 million pairs of shoes using recycled ocean plastic, more than doubling its 2018 output.
• 🚮 The partnership has prevented 2,810 tons of plastic from entering the oceans.
• 🔄 The manufacturing process starts with collecting plastic waste from coastal areas, which is then sorted and processed.
• 🧵 Adidas uses Ocean Plastic, a form of polyester yarn made from recycled PET, to create the upper parts of shoes and clothing.
• 🌍 By 2024, Adidas aims to replace all virgin polyester with recycled polyester, currently using over 40% in its apparel.
• 🚫 While using recycled materials helps, washing polyester clothing can still release microfibers into the ocean, prompting Adidas to suggest washing less frequently.

Q & A

How many pairs of shoes does Adidas make each year?

Adidas makes over 400 million pairs of shoes every year.

What environmental issue is Adidas addressing?

Adidas is addressing the issue of plastic pollution in the oceans, predicting that there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans in 30 years.

What partnership did Adidas form to combat ocean pollution?

Adidas partnered with the environmental organization Parley for the Oceans to turn marine pollution into sportswear.

How many pairs of shoes with recycled ocean plastic did Adidas expect to produce in 2019?

In 2019, Adidas expected to make 11 million pairs of shoes with recycled ocean plastic.

What is the process for collecting plastic waste used by Adidas?

Parley and its partners collect trash from coastal areas, sort it, and send the recovered plastic to an Adidas processing plant.

What type of plastic does Adidas primarily use for its shoes?

Adidas primarily uses plastic bottles that contain polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for its shoes.

How does Adidas process the collected plastic waste?

The plastic waste is crushed, washed, and dehydrated into small plastic flakes, which are then turned into resin pellets and melted to create Ocean Plastic yarn.

What is Adidas' goal regarding the use of recycled polyester by 2024?

Adidas aims to replace all virgin polyester with recycled polyester by 2024.

What precautions does Adidas suggest for washing polyester clothing?

Adidas suggests washing polyester clothing less often, using cold water, and fully filling the washing machine to prevent microfibers from entering the ocean.

What is the Futurecraft Loop?

The Futurecraft Loop is a 100% recyclable shoe made by Adidas, designed to be remade and returned to create a brand-new pair.