Adidas has said that by 2024 it will only be using recycled plastics in its sneakers, a move it hopes will contribute to a broader trend of renewable materials in fashion. Adidas’ spokesperson Maria Culp said that, “We aim to use 100% recycled polyester in every product and on every application where a solution exists by 2024.”
Executive board member Eric Liedtke has also announced that Adidas is seeking to make major changes within the next six months. He confirmed for the press that by 2019, stores will be stocking sportswear containing roughly 41 percent recycled polyester. The roll out to full recycled polyester will continue all the way up to 2024.
Adidas is committing to cutting out virgin plastic use in all its stores, offices, warehouses and distribution plastics. This means Adidas as a producer will attempt to shift entirely to recycled plastics, a bold move that puts the footwear giant firmly among the forerunners on recycling, particularly in the fashion industry.
We might ask why Adidas isn’t making this switch instantly, and the reason comes down to cost. Using recycled polyester actually results in a cost increase of about 10 to 20 percent. Because Adidas relies heavily on polyester for its products, this switch has to be gradual. An immediate change would not be cost viable. However, because recycled product demand has been increasing in the past ten years in particular, Adidas is betting that it can leverage falling costs and increased interest in its products to minimize the impact of this switch while maximizing profits.
Read the full story at https://www.care2.com/causes/adidas-will-soon-only-use-recycled-plastics-in-its-sneakers.html.