Adidas designs shoe containing recycled ocean plastics

A limited number of innovative running shoes have been relased by adidas and Parley for the Oceans to celebrate 2016's World Oceans Day. Featuring an experimental design made from Parley Ocean Plastic, the adidas x Parley running shoe is now available for people to earn.

With 50 pairs available until the end of July 206, people can enter a creative Instagram contest in the hopes of grabbing these rare shoes. To be in with a chance of winning users have been tasked with creating a video that shows how they pledge to avoid single use plastic items, which ties in nicely to how the shoes have been created.

Each adidas x Parley shoe is made in part from plastic collected from coastal areas and illegeal deep-sea gillnets retrieved by Parley for the Ocean's partner organisation Sea Shepherd. A production method called adidas Tailored Fibre Technology allows each pair to cater to the needs of any athlete.

"This adidas x Parley running shoe is already iconic," said Eric Liedtke, adidas Group Executive Board member responsible for Global Brands.

"It's a shoe for game changers," he adds. "We can't wait to hear the stories of those who stand up, suggest creative solutions, take action and want to join us on our journey to clean up the oceans."

As part of an over all goal to help up-cycle ocean plastic debris, both adidas and Parley for the Oceans have worked on turning plastic into technical yarn fibres. These fibres can be used in performance products such as the adidas x Parley, which is just the first in a planned series of items.

It is hoped that the adidas x Parley running shoe will help to create a new manufacturing standard in the sporting industry.

"It is an ongoing challenge, but we achieved the first step," says Parley for the Oceans Founder Cyrill Gutsch. "Now we can replace new plastic with recycled marine plastic debris: Parley Ocean Plastic®. We can create footwear and apparel products with it and we are ready to scale it up".