adidas and Parley for the Oceans showcase sustainability innovation at UN climate change event

adidas celebrate its partnership with Parley for the Oceans in the unique surroundings of the United Nations headquarters and showcased an innovative footwear concept born from this collaboration.

Parley for the Oceans is an organisation in which creators, thinkers and leaders come together to raise awareness about the state of the oceans and to collaborate on projects that can protect and conserve them. As founding member, adidas supports Parley for the Oceans in its education and communication efforts, as well as its comprehensive Ocean Plastic Program that intends to end plastic pollution of the oceans.

Parley Talks titled ‘Oceans. Climate. Life.’ were hosted by the United Nations in New York at the General Assembly Hall, on the occasion of a high-level event on climate change, convened by the President of the General Assembly. Environmentalists, creatives, scientists and entrepreneurs gave a briefing on the dire state of the oceans and climate change while Parley collaborators presented their visions, initiatives, projects, inventions and solutions. (Click here to watch the Parley Talks event on webtv.un.org)

The UNxParley event included an intimate press gathering where adidas Group Executive Board member responsible for Global Brands Eric Liedtke and Parley for the Oceans founder Cyrill Gutsch talked about the partnership and showcased a unique prototype product. adidas created a world first with a shoe upper made entirely of yarns and filaments reclaimed and recycled from ocean waste and illegal deep-sea gillnets. Parley’s partner organisation Sea Shepherd retrieved the nets after a 110-day expedition tracking an illegal poaching vessel, which culminated off the coast of West Africa.
The concept shoe illustrates the direction adidas and Parley for the Oceans are taking, ahead of consumer-ready ocean plastic products being revealed later this year.

adidas created a world first with a shoe upper made entirely of recycled ocean plastic and gillnets

At Parley for the Oceans, we want to establish the oceans as a fundamental part of the debate around climate change. Our objective is to boost public awareness and to inspire new collaborations that can contribute to protect and preserve the oceans. We are extremely proud that adidas is joining us in this mission and is putting its creative force behind this partnership to show that it is possible to turn ocean plastic into something cool. 

Cyrill Gutsch, founder Parley for the Oceans

 We are incredibly excited to join Parley for the Oceans as they bring the cause of the oceans to the attention of the United Nations. adidas has long been a leader in sustainability, but this partnership allows us to tap into new areas and create innovative materials and products for our athletes. We invite everyone to join us on this journey to clean up the oceans. 

Eric Liedtke, member of the Parley for the Oceans Steering Committee

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