In April 2019, adidas launched FUTURECRAFT.LOOP, their first 100% recyclable performance running shoe. The shoe was given to 200 Creator beta testers, who returned the shoes in May for adidas to start the recycling and development process. Less than eight months later, the GEN 1 shoes were remade into components for GEN 2, which will be returned to the same 200 beta testers for Phase 2 of beta testing.
Moving towards circular systems of recycling and regeneration is adidas’ way of minimizing plastic waste and multiplying the life of the materials they use. To achieve this, the GEN 1 sneakers are first cleaned to remove any dirt before being grinded down into recyclable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) pellets. The pellets are then melted together to form the GEN 2 sneaker.
91% of all plastic worldwide is not recycled. With 8.3 billion tons of plastic produced since the early 1950s (50% in the last 13 years), this is a grave environmental threat. Plastic is increasingly clogging landfills and oceans.
So instead of throwing your shoes away once you’re done with them, adidas wants to create a product that lives forever. Where the raw material of one product is never thrown away; it just becomes another product. And then another one. And another one. A product made to be remade. Phase 2 is a major landmark in the experimentation phase of that goal.
The commercial release of FUTURECRAFT.LOOP is slated for Spring/Summer 2021. Check out the video below to learn more.
