Last July we reported on a new Adidas sneaker created with the help of Parley For The Oceans. The footwear featured an upper made entirely from recycled ocean plastic. The idea was to find a second life for the trash polluting the world’s oceans. Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of the shoe though was the distinctive green trim. The trim utilized strands from illegal deep-sea gillnets – well actually, more specifically, from 45 miles of netting which was seized by the nonprofit Sea Shepherd. We reported on the NYTimes’ incredible profile of Sea Shepherd’s 110 day chase last year (if you haven’t read it, please do!). Last summer Adidas stated that they wanted to turn the shoe into a real product eventually. It appears the footwear maker is a step closer to that, they have announced the launch of 50 pairs of the Adidas x Parley.
The only way to currently get your hands on the ultra limited edition sneaker is via a contest on the Parley website. The contest, which runs until July 31st, requires you to upload a video to Instagram that is a call to action, describing how you plan to support Parley’s Ocean Plastic initiative. The 50 best videos will be selected and winners will earn a pair of the Adidas x Parley shoes. More details can be found on their website.
It is not clear if the Adidas x Parley will ever see a wider roll out but it is looking less likely. With an exclusive, limited launch, it seems the contest will be your only shot at owning these striking looking sneakers. But the two organizations have other stokes in the fire; last Fall they revealed a sneaker with a 3D printed midsole created from ocean waste and Adidas has said it is looking to turn ocean plastic into technical yarn for use in a future product.
