The multi-billion dollar sportswear company, Adidas, is taking a positive step in an environmentally friendly direction as they look to use recycled plastic in their products. Adidas’s plan is to use recycled plastic in 50% of their apparel by the end of the year, and 100% by 2024 in their efforts to rid the world of plastic that is hurting the environment.

The widespread global plastic crisis is becoming a problem that although, many try to ignore, is increasingly becoming obvious as time rolls on. Ice caps are melting, sea levels are rising, and trash is piling in landfills and oceans. While many, including large companies,  are making an effort to slow it down, many are pushing aside the inevitable change until they cannot ignore it anymore. 

Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon had a pressing answer when asked about climate change stating, “We are the first generation to be able to end poverty and the last generation that can take steps to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Future generations will judge us harshly if we fail to uphold our moral and historical responsibilities.”

Although many have chosen to ignore climate change, for now, big name companies such as Patagonia, H&M, Chanel, and Adidas have pushed the envelope. 

Polyester, the world’s most used fiber for clothing, is made of plastic material. The Textile Exchange accounts for 80% of the global fiber market, using polyester as its primary fabric. Using recycled plastic to make polyester instead of new plastic can create a remarkably good impact on global footprints by taking billions, if not trillions, of trashed plastic out of the waste management hands.

It may be not as simple to just take recycled plastic and weave it into clothes as we think due to the fact that not only is it a hot commodity in a slowly growing economy for the product. Not only does it become a competition for the supply and demand of recycled waste, but with larger companies like Adidas taking control of the market will cause other companies to pay much more than they were paying before.

Adidas recently donated an entire turf football field to Miami Edison High School completely made of plastic bottles found on beaches. Cameron Collins, the director of football in North America for Adidas stated, “We believe that through sports we have the power to change lives, and this field is a demonstration of our taking action on that belief, more than a place for these young athletes to play, it’s a reminder of our collective responsibility to end plastic waste.” 

Collins’ statement on environmental change is inspiring for the future and a great way for a multibillion-dollar company to not only get the word out but to make a difference for future generations. Climate change is one of the most important and most ignored epidemics in American society. By using recycled plastic in merchandise instead of other unsustainable products, the amounts of waste thrown into the environment will decrease drastically. It will be interesting, however, to see how well these products sell and if Adidas will be able to keep up production based on the income the products bring in. The company makes over 400 billion pairs of shoes, so it potentially could be difficult for the company to maintain recycled shoes due to the amount of resources available. However, experts say that it is predicted to have more plastic in the oceans that there are fish. One study even estimates the 90% of sea birds have consumed plastic waste products. Hopefully, other companies will follow Adidas lead and work towards an environmentally friendly consumer marketplace. 

Adidas is making huge steps in terms of creating an environmentally friendly consumer marketplace. Recycled plastic clothing is the start of a new, sustainable era in the fashion industry.