Adidas releases running shoes made from ocean plastics to the public

The world’s first shoe made from recycled ocean plastics is now available to the public in limited quantities thanks to a partnership between sportswear giant Adidas and Parley for the Oceans, an organization that aims to reduce waste in the world’s oceans.

Adidas and Parley for the Oceans unveiled prototypes of the shoes in December at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris and announced on June 8 that the running shoes will be publicly available.

The shoe’s upper is made from ocean plastic collected from coastal areas off the Maldives and illegal deep-sea fishing nets. The plastics can be transformed into high-performance fibres suitable for running shoes. Waste collected in the oceans and used in the making of the shoes notably includes plastic bags and bottles.

The fish nets are cleaned and treated before being integrated into the shoes. The technique used in the running shoes is expected to be incorporated into producing other apparel, much of which is expected to be released in the fall of 2017.

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Fifty pairs of the shoes, officially known as the “Adidas x Parley running shoe,” will be available during this initial release as announced on World Oceans Day. People who want the shoes will be able to participate in an Instagram contest, which closes on July 30, by submitting a video in support of the initiative.

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The Herzogenaurach, Germany-based sporting company originally announced that it would be incorporating ocean waste into a shoe in 2015 but refined the design and the prototype over the past year before releasing it on June 8.