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- Last year, Adidas and Parley for the Oceans sold more than a 1 million sneakers made with recycled ocean plastic.
- Now, the collaborators are ramping up their environmental efforts with a long-term sustainability plan.
- Part of their efforts include a new line of Parley x Adidas Outdoor footwear and apparel.
- I got to check out the part of the collection to see how the material compares to the company's classic offerings.
Sustainability is an all-around good business practice across all industries. It makes brands aware and accountable for their carbon footprint and it gives consumers the peace of mind that their purchases aren't harmful to the environment. In retail, Adidas is one of the few major companies that has actively dedicated itself to becoming more sustainable and eco-friendly all-around.
Some of the brand's biggest sustainability efforts are done in collaboration with Parley for the Oceans. In 2015, the two companies teamed up to make a sneaker that was made entirely of yarn recycled from ocean waste and illegal deep-sea gill nets. While the shoe was impressive in both design and sustainability, the partnership really started to come to fruition last year when sneakers like the Parley x Adidas Ultra Boost became more available to the public.
In 2017, they sold 1 million pairs of Parley sneakers and now their goals for the future are set even higher with what's called the Parley A.I.R. Strategy — an acronym for "avoid, intercept, and redesign."
Here's what that means:
Avoid: In 2017, saving approximately 70 million plastic bags by switching to paper bags in retails stores. While plastic is still very much part of the products Adidas makes, it is making efforts to eliminate virgin plastic from its supply chain.
Intercept: Instead of sourcing materials that have already polluted the ocean, Parley and Adidas expanded their collection process to include plastic waste found in coastal communities and on beach fronts.
Redesign: Innovation is a huge part of footwear and sportswear design, but performance isn't the only area of improvement Adidas is focusing on. Being mindful of materials and better ways to use them means the brand can change the status quo design narrative that apparel companies follow.
One of the biggest innovations thus far is the expansion of products that use recycled ocean plastic — and the new Parley x Adidas Outdoor Collection is the latest step. Now, in addition to the popular running and lifestyle models that have gotten the Parley treatment, Adidas is making outdoor footwear and apparel.
If you love venturing outdoors, then preserving the environment should be a top priority for you. The Parley x Adidas Outdoor Collection is a great way to do both.
Adidas sent over part of the new Parley collection for me to try out and compare to the quality of other Adidas products I already owned. You can read my full thoughts below on the pieces that were sent over, and also see a few of the standout products that are part of the collection and currently available to shop.
Shop all Parley x Adidas footwear and apparel here.
Check out the collection's standout pieces, plus a few that I've tested and reviewed below:
Parley x Adidas Outdoor Men's Agravic Tee
$35, available in two colors
The Parley Agravic Tee is a quick-drying shirt that's designed to keep you cool, dry, and unrestricted when outdoors. Its made of 80% recycled polyester and 20% polyester piqué. I wore the shirt to the gym and it's very on par with other performance shirts that Adidas makes. It does a great job at wicking sweat away from the body. What's most impressive about this shirt is the price. For $35, you get a shirt that works just as well as athletic wear other companies would sell for twice as much.
Parley x Adidas Outdoor Men's Terrex Climacool Voyager
$120, available in Legend Ink/Chalk White
For footwear, I went with Parley Terrex Climacool Voyager. They are a rugged pair of trail shoes designed for the outdoors. The 360-degree Climacool knit upper, is in part made of Parley Ocean Yarn. Without knowning the innovation behind Adidas and Parley, you'd think they're normal knit sneakers. The shoe is completed with a Stealth rubber outsole that has built-in drainage for water crossings and offers superior traction on wet terrain. I found the shoes to be extremely comfortable while walking and the beefed up sole gave me the confidence to explore any terrain. At $120, they're very fairly priced. You can spend a lot more on trail shoes don't support as good of a cause as sustainability.
Other Parley x Adidas Outdoor styles: Men's Terrex Voyager Shorts
$69, available in two colors
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