Shoemaker adidas recently released the ULTRABOOST Uncaged Parley running shoe made almost entirely of plastic waste recovered from waters around the Maldive Islands in the Indian Ocean.
Eleven plastic bottles go into each pair, with five percent of the content consisting of recycled polyester. New methods for turning plastic into technical fibers were used. This is the first mass-produced footwear made from such waste.
The ocean plastic was collected by environmental groups in partnership with Parley for the Oceans, an organization dedicated to cleaning the seas and protecting marine life. This year, the shoe giant plans to produce a million pairs of shoes from materials collected by Parley, and has introduced professional soccer jerseys made from recycled ocean plastic. According to Eric Liedtke, adidas executive board member, “our ultimate ambition is to eliminate virgin plastic from our supply chain.”
