AdidasAdidas has proved it’s committed to tackling the problem of plastic waste by launching its first 100 per cent recyclable trainer.
The FUTURECRAFT.LOOP is the first of its kind; a 100 per cent recyclable performance running shoe which can be completely remade into another high performance running trainer.
The new trainers will be made from just one material type, without glue, to ensure they can be recycled easily and efficiently.
AdidasThis year alone, Adidas plans to produce 11 million pairs of shoes in conjunction with Parley for the Oceans, by intercepting plastic waste on beaches, remote islands and in coastal communities.
The company say they are committed to using only recycled polyester in every product and on every application where a solution exists by 2024.
Eric Liedtke, Executive Board Member at adidas, responsible for Global Brands, said:
Taking plastic waste out of the system is the first step, but we can’t stop there. What happens to your shoes after you’ve worn them out? You throw them away – except there is no away.
There are only landfills and incinerators and ultimately an atmosphere choked with excess carbon, or oceans filled with plastic waste. The next step is to end the concept of ‘waste’ entirely. Our dream is that you can keep wearing the same shoes over and over again.
FUTURECRAFT.LOOP is our first running shoe that is made to be remade. It is a statement of our intent to take responsibility for the entire life of our product; proof that we can build high-performance running shoes that you don’t have to throw away.
Usually, sports footwear include complex material mixes and component gluing and so the shoes can only be downcycled. Adidas intend to change this with their FUTURECRAFT.LOOP.
Each component of the trainer is made from 100 per cent reusable TPU, which is spun to yarn, knitted, moulded, and clean-fused to a BOOST midsole.
The shoes can then be returned to Adidas once they have reached the ‘end’ of their life, where they will be washed, ground to pellets and melted into material for components for a new pair of shoes. This process ensures there is zero waste, with nothing thrown away.
AdidasThe shoe is rolling out as part of a global beta programme with 200 leading creators from across the world’s major cities.
A wider release is targeted for spring summer 2021.
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A Broadcast Journalism Masters graduate who went on to achieve an NCTJ level 3 Diploma in Journalism, Lucy has done stints at ITV, BBC Inside Out and Key 103. While working as a journalist for UNILAD, Lucy has reported on breaking news stories while also writing features about mental health, cervical screening awareness, and Little Mix (who she is unapologetically obsessed with).