Adidas Creates a High-Performance Running Shoe You Can Recycle

Adidas Announces First 100% Recyclable Running Shoe

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Adidas is continuing its commitment to sustainability with the announcement of the FUTURECRAFT.LOOP—a fully recyclable running shoe. This exciting news is just the latest in a series of initiatives that Adidas has promoted since it launched its Parley line of shoes and apparel, which is partially made with recycled ocean plastic, in 2015. Now, they've taken things a step further by committing to the production of a completely recyclable performance shoe.

Consumers often ponder what happens when they need to get rid of their shoes. Even though Parley shoes are made from some recycled materials, there was a concern that they still contribute to the waste issue when they break down. This is where the FUTURECRAFT.LOOP comes in.

“Taking plastic waste out of the system is the first step, but we can’t stop there,” said Eric Liedtke, Executive Board Member at Adidas, responsible for Global Brands. “FUTURECRAFT.LOOP is our first running shoe that is made to be remade. It is a statement of our intent to take responsibility for the entire life of our product; proof that we can build high-performance running shoes that you don’t have to throw away.”

Consumers will be able to return their FUTURECRAFT.LOOP shoes to Adidas when they are no longer usable. The company will then break them down into pellets and use all the components to craft a new pair of shoes, thus leaving no waste behind. It's an incredible breakthrough that will enable raw materials to reform into a new item that adheres to Adidas' performance standards.

So how does it work? After close to a decade of research, Adidas has found a way to eliminate the material mixes and gluing found in most sports footwear—both of which prohibit recycling. By using only one type of material and no glue, the FUTURECRAFT.LOOP is designed to be recycled from the outset. Adidas notes that “each component is made from 100% reusable TPU—it’s spun to yarn, knitted, molded and clean-fused to a BOOST midsole using Adidas SPEEDFACTORY technology.”

By taking the time to figure out a new manufacturing process, Adidas is leading the charge in sustainable design on a large scale. Currently, they are in a global beta program and are releasing 200 pairs of the recyclable running shoes to leading Creators around the world. They'll be asked to use the shoes to their full extent and provide Adidas feedback for tweaks, ahead of a second generation release. All this is leading to a global release in Spring/Summer 2021, which means that those looking for high-performance, eco-friendly running shoes won't have to wait too much longer to take the FUTURECRAFT.LOOP for a spin.