Dive Brief:
- Adidas has announced a new "Sport Infinity" research project — funded by the European Commission — that will allow the company to combine worn-out cleats and sportswear with scrap materials to make new, recycled products.
- The process, known as "infinity-recycling," aims to identify and develop innovative recyclable composites into a "3-D shapeable material" to then be molded into a new product. By eliminating the need for adhesives, the material could be fit to the wearer's needs to allow for customization of the product. The following infographic, made by Adidas, shows the simple cycle:
- Adidas explained in a press release that it is piloting the manufacturing process in Ansbach, Germany, which will allow the company to "bring production to where the design happens." The company hopes that such production will create a high-performance product that "closes the sustainability loop."
Dive Insight:
In a press release, the Adidas group explained, "the football boots of the future could contain everything from carbon used in aircraft manufacturing to fibers of the boots that scored during the World Cup."
This is not the first time that Adidas is transforming manufacturing through recycling processes. In April, the company announced that it would begin creating products using plastic ocean debris. The company partnered with Parley for the Oceans to create fibers from ocean waste to then manufacture shoes and clothing.
Other retail giants — such as Speedo and H&M — have also made similar efforts to repurpose old clothes into usable textiles. A few weeks ago, Speedo debuted its PowerFLEX Eco swimwear line that is comprised of old carpets and abandoned fishing nets.
As waste piles up around the world, companies must find innovative ways to recycle material into desirable products. Adidas' efforts push the nation toward zero waste is both admirable and extremely important to help the waste industry to sustain its goals and keep the environment clean.
