As a result of Adidas’ partnership with Parley for the Oceans five million pairs of shoes were created using recycled ocean plastic in 2018. In 2019, Adidas is upping the pace of change. The company will produce a landmark 11 million pairs of shoes using upcycled marine plastic waste, intercepting vast amounts of plastic from entering the oceans. This year, the brand is bringing together its community of Adidas runners, brand ambassadors, employees, store partners, store staff, and even consumers to make a difference and contribute to reducing marine plastic pollution by participating on the on-ground and digital runs. In 2016, Adidas created the first performance products with recycled ocean plastics. Through their partnership, Adidas and Parley have intercepted vast amounts of plastic waste from marine environments and coastal communities.

In India, Adidas has been associated with initiatives to tackle the problem of marine litter. These include cleaning Mumbai beaches, conserving mangroves, action workshops to stop litter and segregate plastic waste and most importantly the ideology of a circular economy. The marine plastic crisis has become critically urgent. Every minute, the equivalent of a dump truck of plastic waste enters the world’s oceans and by 2050 there may be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans.