A run of 400,000 pairs of Adidas trainers are set to pilot ink developed by carbon upcycling materials specialist Oco in a bid to keep the sportswear giant in step with growing demand for more circular materials.
The latest additions to Adidas’ hiking and outdoor Terrex range will feature Oco’s CO2-enhanced ink, which blends screen printing ink with captured carbon to deliver inks that are both resistant to the elements and help reduce carbon emissions.
Oco has already used similar technology to add captured carbon logos to jackets made by outdoor clothing specialist Helly Hansen and create natural rubber yoga mats embedded with captured carbon.
Expected to be released later this year, the Terrex line follows in the footsteps of Adidas’ collaboration with Parley for the Oceans, which has provided marine plastic for use in trainers since the pair unveiled the sportswear giant’s first running shoe made from plastic waste in 2015.
Credit: Oco
Marwin Hoffmann, vice president of global outdoor marketing at Adidas, said the manufacturer was committed to sourcing innovative new materials that can reduce environmental impacts. “Our commitment to sustainability includes material innovation and how we can bring to life solutions at scale,” he said.
Madison Savilow, co-founder and venture lead of Oco, said the latest pilot project was an “incredible example” of the collaboration possible between clean technology firms and industry leaders. “Today, there are few products available in the consumer market that are tangible examples of carbon capture and utilisation,” she said. “Although this is only a small component of the overall product, we’re excited to work with Adidas Terrex to introduce circular materials in consumer goods and progress consumer education.”
Adidas and Oco’s announcement comes hot on the heels of Allbirds revealing what it claims to be the world’s first net zero carbon shoe, the M0.0NSHOT, in June.
The shoe, which will launch commercially in Spring 2024, features carbon negative regenerative wool, bio-based midsole foam made with sugarcane, moulded components made with methane-capture bioplastic, and carbon negative sugarcane-based polyethylene packaging.
Earlier this year, fashion retailer H&M also paraded a trio of new