Adidas creates limited edition MLS kits using upcycled ocean plastic as part of eco-innovation drive
Adidas is releasing special limited edition versions of four Major League Soccer (MLS) kits as part of its ongoing eco-innovation partnership with ocean conservation group Parley for the Oceans.
The specially designed Adidas Parley kits will be worn by the teams this coming weekend
The jerseys have been made entirely from upcycled ocean plastic debris collected by Parley in coastal areas of the Maldives before being reworked into technical yarn fibres to create the kits. On the back neck tape of each jersey is the message “For the Ocean”.
The four MLS teams involved in the initiative are New York City FC, Orlando City SC, LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders FC. The specially created kits will be worn by the teams for the first time on 23 April when New York host Orlando and LA welcome Seattle.
“We are very proud to be working with a new partner in MLS and its participating teams to enforce the usage, messaging and awareness around the beauty and fragility of the Oceans,” said Michael Batz, Adidas’ vice president of football apparel.
The initiative builds on the brand’s ongoing partnership with Parley which saw Real Madrid and FC Bayern Munich release special Parley kits last year. The collaboration goes beyond football too, Adidas has also created footwear and swimwear from ocean plastic with the help of Parley.
In summing up the importance of Parley's ethos Cyrill Gutsch, founder of Parley for the Oceans, said: “Every second breath we take is generated by the oceans. And still, we are at war with the sea.”
He added: “We are killing it off in rapid speed. Now is the time to negotiate peace with our life support and to invent our way out of this mess. Soccer can lead the way. It shows what we can achieve with the right balance of creativity, collaboration and technology. Let's accept the oceans defence as our biggest challenge and protect the air we need."
Adidas and Parley first partnered in 2015 in a collaboration which has saw the German brand implement Parley’s A.I.R strategy- Avoid, Intercept, Redesign. As a part of the ‘redesign’ focus Adidas has committed to increasing the use of eco-innovative materials such as Parley Ocean Plastic in its products as a replacement for virgin plastic.