Sporting goods producer Adidas (Herzogenaurach / Germany; www.adidas-group.com) has launched a new partnership with Parley for the Oceans (New York / USA; www.parley.tv) to work together to prevent the destruction of the world’s oceans. The collaboration will focus on communication and education, research and innovation, as well as direct actions to prevent plastics pollution in the oceans. In addition, from 2016 onwards Adidas plans to use more ocean plastic waste in its product portfolio, launching innovative products to make this a possibility.

The collaboration is part of the group’s sustainability drive. In its 2014 sustainability report, Adidas also highlights its use of recycled polyester – sourced from plastic bottles and used clothing, among others – in fibres for new products. A concrete example is its 2014 Anthem jacket, used as a warm-up jacket for a range of sports and already employed by leading soccer teams Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Going forward, Adidas has announced that it plans to phase out the use of plastic bags in its retail stores. In response to a Plasteurope.com query about a timeframe, a company spokeswoman said no exact date had been formulated, adding that implementation could vary across the group’s more than 3,000 shops worldwide. She added that the company expects to carry out the directive successively and is working towards realising this goal at the soonest point possible.

e-Service:
Adidas "Sustainability Progress Report 2014" as a PDF file