Adidas launch first ever 100% recyclable sneakers made from plastic waste

Adidas has unveiled the world's very first 100 percent recyclable sneakers, made entirely from plastic retrieved from our planet's oceans.

Produced using just the one material (which is then assembled using glue), the brand new pair are "made to be remade". In fact, they are already being hailed as the most environmentally friendly sneakers around.

The brand's new innovation, known as the Futurecraft.Loop sneaker, is part of Adidas' commitment to tackling the issue of plastic waste.

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Teaming up with environmental organisation Parley for the Oceans, the sports brand will produce 11 million pairs of the recyclable running shoes. The notoriously deadly plastic waste will be retrieved from our world's beaches, remote islands, and coastal communities.

"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.

"What happens to your shoes after you’ve worn them out? You throw them away – except there is no away. There are only landfills and incinerators and ultimately an atmosphere choked with excess carbon or oceans filled with plastic waste."

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"The next step is to end the concept of 'waste' entirely. Our dream is that you can keep wearing the same shoes over and over again," Liedtke added.

"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."

The concept is simple. Once your pair of Futurecraft.Loop sneakers become worn, instead of throwing them away - all you have to do is return them to Adidas.

They will then wash the footwear, dismantle them and melt the plastic, ready to be made into an entirely new pair - with absolutely no waste.

Before the shoes are made available to the public, however, they will be released to "200 leading creators from across the world’s major cities", who will then give Adidas feedback on the pair before they hit the shops in the spring/summer of 2021.