ADIDAS MAKES STRIDES IN OCEAN CLEANUP WITH DEBUT OF 3D-PRINTED MIDSOLE

Global athletic brand Adidas unveiled a 3D-printed Ocean Plastic shoe midsole in Paris last week. This new midsole was as part of the company’s commitment to help end ocean plastic pollution. The concept shoe consists of an upper made with ocean plastic content and a midsole which is 3D printed using recycled polyester and gill net content. The project is part of Adidas’ continuing partnership with Parley for the Oceans, an initiative that encourages the repurposing of ocean waste.

“World leaders forging an agreement are wonderful, but we shouldn’t need to be told to do the right thing. The industry can’t afford to wait for directions any longer. The 3D-printed Ocean Plastic shoe midsole stands for how we can set new industry standards if we start questioning the reason to be of what we create,” said Eric Liedtke, Adidas group executive board member responsible for global brands. “We want to bring everyone from the industry to the table and create sustainable solutions for big global problems.”

By the end of the first quarter in 2016, Adidas will phase out its use of plastic bags in its retail stores. Additionally, the company has stopped the use of plastic bottles for meetings at its headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany and plans to stop using plastic microbeads in its body care products.