Adidas has created a sports shoe from garbage floating in the ocean. The new trainer is part of a project to raise awareness of the serious problem of ocean pollution. Adidas has joined forces with an organisation called Parley, which is dedicated to protecting and preserving the Earth's oceans. Parley's founder Cyrill Gutsch spoke about his organisation's cooperation with Adidas. He said: "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…to show that it is possible to turn ocean plastic into something cool."
Garbage in the ocean is a huge problem. UNESCO estimates that in 2006, there were nearly 30,000 pieces of floating plastic for every square kilometre of ocean. Plastic debris kills over a million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals every year. Adidas used some of this plastic to make its new trainer. The sole of the sneaker is made from sustainable materials, while the upper uses recycled ocean waste. This consisted of plastic and illegal fishing nets. Adidas says it will be releasing a new trainer made from ocean waste later this year. In another green initiative, the sportswear maker said it would be phasing out the use of plastic bags in all Adidas retail stores in the near future.