A while back came the news of a special initiative from Adidas to use plastic bottles destined for the ocean to manufacture sneakers. Now the latest in this Parley range has been launched, with FC Barcelona goalkeeper Marc ter Stegen onboard to help raise awareness.  

The Ultraboost Parley and Ultraboost X Parley silhouettes fuse performance-oriented footwear technology with progressive eco-innovation, with the Primeknit uppers consisting of 85% Parley Ocean Plastic. This is material created from upcycled waste, intercepted before it has the chance to enter the ocean, with Adidas stating that each pair prevents close to 11 bottles of plastic of landing up in the ocean.

Adidas also incorporates an NFC chip in the right shoe that provides the wearer with exclusive learning experiences about plastic pollution which can be accessed via a simple tap on an NFC enabled smartphone. Through the mobile platform, consumers are empowered to learn more about the collaboration, how to avoid plastic in their lives and how to take part in future initiatives.

For female runners, the the Ultraboost X features Adidas’ Adaptive Arch, a unique construction designed to adapt to the female foot.

FC Barcelona goalkeeper Marc ter Stegen notes, “I live by the sea and try to spend as much time as possible there. When I first learnt about the adidas and Parley partnership, I immediately connected with it. I want to help change our environment through an initiative I believe in. I’m proud to partner with adidas Running and Parley to create awareness for the beauty of our oceans and work on projects that can stop their destruction.”

As for price, well it’s not cheap. A limited quantity of Ultraboost and Ultraboost X will be available online and instore from 16 April, retailing at R3 299.