Use recycled materials

Jul 13, 2018

Adidas and Parley for the Oceans, are nonprofit organissations that seeks to raise awareness about plastic in our oceans through viral campaigns and partnerships, joined forces to host the Run for the Oceans. Back in 2015, the companies started collaborating on a running shoe that incorporates plastics found on the beaches of small island nations like the Maldives and Palau. At first a small-batch product, a special prototype, the recycled sneakers now compose an entire Adidas collection.

Cyrill Gutsch, Parley’s founder, said that single-use plastic is humans’ greatest design failure, since we sift through it in minutes, but it stays in the environment for decades. Besides partnering with Adidas, Parley has also teamed up with American Express to make a credit card of recycled ocean plastic and joined forces with reusable water bottle company, Soma, to craft a special line of recycled glassware. It’s the beginning of a journey to uncover one “ocean champion” in every business category and help businesses create products that draw consumers into the green conversation using beautiful design.

“We think purpose is the new luxury. It’s no longer all about the true material value of a product — it’s about the intention,” he says. “You need big players like Adidas to take a strong stance and make a new standard.”

Beyond creating product, Parley’s talented team of designers and marketers has also launched campaigns that speak to consumers directly. Earlier this summer, it teamed up with running app Runtastic to donate a dollar to ocean cleanup work for every kilometre run.

From 8th June until 8th July every run tracked on the Runtastic app as part of the Run For The Oceans community would add to a global tally, and Adidas would donate $1 to the Parley Ocean Plastic Programme for every kilometre logged up to a maximum contribution of one million dollars.

Parley announced it reached its $1 million goal in three days. Following that million-dollar announcement, the horde of runners set off with intention — electrified by the idea that every step we take can make a difference.