After announcing the project earlier this year, adidas and Allbirds are ready to release the FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT to the world. The running shoe’s low carbon footprint takes adidas’ sustainability efforts to the next level.
The FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT comes in at 2.94kg CO2e per pair. It uses the LIGHTSTRIKE midsole as inspiration, upgraded with Allbirds’ bio-based sugarcane and other natural materials. The upper, dressed in a crisp, white colorway, uses 77% recycled polyester and 23% natural wood pulp Tencel. To finish off, the outsole sits on 10% recycled rubber.
The sneaker follows an “art of reduction” philosophy with its design, carefully and strategically following the natural cuts of the recycled materials. The sneaker was built using the tangram principle, fitting each puzzle piece to minimize waste. During their 12-month innovation sprint, adidas and Allbirds spread efforts to study and elevate materials, manufacturing techniques, and packaging to lower the carbon footprint.
The Three Stripes has made a few waves with its eco-friendly initiatives, including its 2015 Parley partnership that led to 30 million pairs of shoes made with recycled ocean plastic. By 2025, the sneaker giant hopes to have a 15% average CO2e footprint reduction in all its products, highlighted with the FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT.
“It’s been incredible to see this go from a simple yet far-fetched idea of the world’s lowest carbon footprint running shoe to a product that consumers can get their hands on in just two years – it’s a testament to the power of collaboration in the face of a daunting challenge,” said Tim Brown, Co-Founder & Co-CEO at Allbirds. “Our hope is that this product can inspire others in the industry to rethink the way things have ‘always’ been done, and that specific learning from our development process can unlock carbon savings for their teams, as well.”
The adidas x Allbirds FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT will see a limited drop on December 15 on the adidas website, the adidas and Allbirds apps, and select adidas and Allbirds stores. A wider release – including four new colorways – is expected in Spring 2022.
adidas x Allbirds FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT
Color: Core White
Release Date: December 15, 2021
Price: $120 USD
