Different Approaches, Same Purposes 🌊 🌎 ♻️

SustainabilityFootwear

26 Feb

Written By Jerry Sun

Adidas DNA Loop Ultra Boost Prototype V3

Adidas’ Approach

Back in 2015, Adidas started their partnership with Parley. It was a big movement in the sneaker industry, when the partnership was first announced.

“With over 8 million tons of plastic entering the planet’s oceans every year, both adidas and Parley firmly grasp the true scale of the problem we are facing – and recognize that only massive change will make a meaningful difference.”

— PARLEY FOR THE OCEANS

The idea was simple. Collect abandoned fishnets from the ocean, restructure the plastic and apply them into a pair of sneakers. The process however, was much harder than you would ever imagine. When the prototype came out, it was stunning. Featuring an upper made of yarns and filaments reclaimed and recycled from ocean waste and illegal deep-sea gillnets. All sneakerheads were anticipating the release date. It was sold at a price of £4.5K in the second hand market. You still can get a pair at StockX.

“Parley AIR strategy: Avoid. Intercept. Redesign.”

— PARLEY FOR THE OCEANS

Moving forward, Adidas implements this technologies into a line of sneakers. You can purchase the Adidas X Parley collection with a combination of apparel and Sneakers.

“END PLASTIC WASTE”

Shoe Bag with Adidas Ultraboost DNA Loop

In the meantime, Adidas FutureCraft team is also working on DNA Loop. An recycle process, where a fully used old pair of sneakers can be remade into a brand new pair of sneakers. According to Adidas, each UltraBOOST DNA LOOP trainer is entirely made from one material – thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) – and is assembled using heat rather than glue.

In October 2020, Adidas selected 1,500 Runners through their Creator Club App. I was lucky enough to be selected for this process. We gave feedback each week on the performance, aesthetics and other aspects of the running sneaker. By the end of the trial, Adidas will collect all of them to reproduce version 4 for 2021 commercial release.

Adidas is looking to eliminate virgin polyesters from their products by 2024. You can more about Adidas sustainability program here.

Inside the Adidas Creator Club on DNA Loop Feedbacks

Nike’s Approach

“MOVE TO ZERO”

Nike has a completely different approach to sustainability.

Initially, the design team started looking at leftover material such as flyknit and nylon in each shoe production. They discovered that most of the leftover material can be remade to produce a new pair of sneakers. Nike decided to call them “Space Hippie”. Use what we have was the mantra that Nike design team had in their mind.

To read more about Nike’s “Move to Zero” Project, our team member Arran (@run.mcaskill) has written an article here.

Space Hippie and Cosmic Unity are available to purchase here.