adidas is taking the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” to a whole new level. They’ve teamed up with Parley for the Oceans, an organization that aims to raise awareness about ocean pollution. On June 29, 2015, during “Oceans. Climate. Life.”, a talk hosted by United Nations and Parley for the Oceans, adidas unveiled the world’s first shoe upper made solely from recycled ocean waste and illegal deep-sea gillnets.
To retrieve the nets, Parley partner organization Sea Shepherd tracked an illegal poaching vessel for 110 days, off the coast of South Africa. Though the bright blue and white shoe is currently a concept shoe, more consumer-ready products made from ocean plastic waste will be revealed later this year.
The World’s First Shoe Upper Made of Ocean Waste [Design Milk]