Adidas is planning to make waves with a series of eco-friendly partnerships.
Speaking at the United Nations event, “Oceans. Climate. Life,” in New York City, Adidas spokesman Eric Liedtke revealed the brand’s latest product in a series of partnerships with environmental advocacy groups.
The shoe, made from recycled ocean waste and illegal fishing nets, was designed in collaboration with the nonprofit organization Parley for the Oceans. Items similar to this shoe– which the company describes as a “concept prototype” — will hit stores in early 2016.
“We are constantly looking into new and smarter ways to make our products better,” Liedtke tells Inc. “This collaboration will also further strengthen our ties with our consumers by allowing them to be part of the solution via retail and future activations.”
In April, Adidas announced that it would faze out plastic bags in retail stores as part of its commitment to Parley for the Oceans.
This isn’t the company’s only new bid to up customer engagement. Last week, Adidas launched its customizable Star Wars-themed “mi shoe” line, which is pegged to the December release of the franchise’s next movie,”Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” Mike Powell, a sports market analyst at The NPD Group, predicts the launch will be a huge success. “This ‘design-it-yourself’ trend has become a very important part of the business,” he said.
Still, it’s worth noting that the cost to manufacture a sneaker made out of ocean waste could be high, as are the costs associated with DIY shoes. (Since the product won’t be available to consumers until early next year, the company declined to comment on how much the shoes will retail for.)
As competition in the sneaker market heats up, Adidas is betting on social outreach to help it catch up to the formidable market leader, Nike. In second quarter of 2015, sales were on the rise by 5 percent, according to recent data from SportsOneSource.
Written by: Zoe Henry Source: www.Inc.com Picture: Adidas