Parley partnered with Adidas to create shoes made partly from recycled ocean plastic. The organization’s full name is Parley for the Oceans, an environmental group and global collaboration network focused on protecting marine ecosystems.
The Adidas partnership was announced in 2015 at a United Nations event in New York. Their first concept shoe used yarn made from plastic waste intercepted from beaches and coastal communities, along with material recovered from illegal deep-sea fishing nets. That waste was processed into a recycled polyester yarn for footwear uppers.
A common misconception is that each shoe is made entirely from plastic physically collected from the ocean. Parley Ocean Plastic is generally made from waste intercepted before it reaches the ocean, especially PET bottles and other plastic gathered in coastal areas. Adidas has since used the material in millions of shoes, apparel items, and accessories.