(Photo: Allbirds developed the Dasher shoe, which the startup says has a small carbon footprint. Credit: Allbirds)[/caption] Adidas and the sustainable shoe startup Allbirds say they have teamed up to work on developing “a sports-performance shoe with the lowest carbon emissions.”
The entire footwear industry emits 700 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, Adidas pointed out, citing a 2018 Quantis report that studied the global apparel and footwear industries’ environmental effects. One pair of running shoes made from synthetic materials has an environmental footprint between 11.3 and 16.7 kilograms of carbon dioxide, Adidas said.
Allbirds, which started in 2014, is a certified B Corp that uses natural materials such as eucalyptus tree fiber, Merino wool, recycled plastic bottles, and castor bean oil to produce their shoes. The packaging is made from 90% recycled cardboard. Allbirds says that the average footprint of their products is 7.6 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent, a measurement that takes into account the wool part, materials, manufacturing, use, and end-of-life.
Adidas and Allbirds say they want to get that number down to zero.
“Together we will explore innovations that span everything from manufacturing and supply chain to transportation methods as we aim to eliminate carbon emissions, all while creating a shoe that meets the highest of performance standards — our own,” an Adidas statement about the new partnership said. “The entire process will be analyzed by both of our life cycle assessment tools, ensuring for double the accountability.”
Although the two companies could have previously been considered competitors, the new sports-performance shoe they produce together will have the stamp of both their logos once completed, Vogue reported.
“When it comes to sustainability, we don’t see ourselves competing with one another, but competing for the future,” Allbirds’ co-founder Tim Brown told Fast Company. “If we don’t bring about change quickly, there won’t be a future to speak of.”
James Carnes, VP of brand strategy for Adidas, is optimistic about what they can achieve. “I am hopeful that this partnership will be an example for others to follow as we pursue a more sustainable, net zero carbon future,” he said on the company’s website.
