Plastic waste is one of the fastest-growing environmental issues. Every year about 8.8 million tons of plastic end up in the world's oceans. It’s estimated that lost and discarded gillnets, known as ghost nets, are responsible for more than 100,000 marine mammal deaths every year. They are the silent killers of the sea, wreaking havoc on underwater habitats and destroying delicate balances within the ecosystems that sustain this planet. If this continues, by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish and other marine life!

Adidas has decided to collaborate with Parley to turn plastic into sportswear. How does the collaboration work?

1.Marine plastic waste in marine costal areas such as the Maldives is collected by Parley and its global clean up netwrork.

2. It is then balled and sent to Parley Supply Chain partners

3. Parley partners shred the plastic into flakes.

4. Flakes are then span into a high performance 100% recycled yarn called "Ocean Plastic". The yarn is made to meet the same performance and international comfort standards as other Adidas products.

5. The yarn is integrated in Adidas supply chain to create AdidasXParley products. This Ocean Plastic is used to form the upper parts of shoes and clothing like jerseys. Recycled polyester uses less water and fewer chemicals, contributes to the conservation of water, and reduces chemical pollution. 

Parley worked to develop the world’s first supply chain for upcycled marine waste and created Ocean Plastic® as a powerful symbol of change. Initially sourced from islands in the Maldives, we’ve now expanded our collection network to the Dominican Republic and Sri Lanka too, creating a steady demand for plastic waste that would otherwise end up in the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

In addition to products, the collaboration also aims at raising awarness on the state of the oceans and the threat posed by plastic pollution. Through the power of sport, community, education and activism, we’ve turned the oceans cause into a truly global movement that transcends borders, engaging people of all ages and backgrounds through events like Parley Ocean School, 747 Warehouse St and Run for the Oceans.

Adidas & Parley have launched an entire product line avialable on Adidas's website called AdidadXParley. Beyond apparel like shirts, socks and other performance wear, adidas produced 1 million pairs of shoes with Parley Ocean Plastic® in 2017, then 5 million in 2018 and11 million in 2019. By the end of 2020, Adidas crafted more than 30 million pairs of shoes with Parley Ocean Plastic. This means less virgin plastic, reduced CO2 emissions and more awareness of the issue – with every product made serving as a wearable symbol of change that sparks questions, discussions and ideas about creating even more progress.

Photo Credit: Naja Bertolt Jensen - Unsplash