By 2024 Adidas has pledged to only make use of recycled plastic for manufacturing its products. On of the milestones achieved towards this pledge was designing and making of Futurecraft Loop, a running shoe made entirely from recyclable material. The Futurecraft Loop is designed by using only thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). With boost cushioning technology, every part of this shoe like laces, soles, tongue is made up from this material. This project was under construction since six years and now finally revealed.
The sole purpose of this shoe is to use recyclable material and minimize the harm to the environment caused by every product cycle. This shoe can be repurposed time and again thus allowing sustainability practices. As mentioned before, this shoe can be repurposed to make another shoe, Adidas is putting immense to efforts to become sustainable with the creation of Futurecraft Loop. The design for the Loop does not involve any glue in the making thus making it fit for recycling. This is a huge step for Adidas towards sustainability as every pair of shoe like Loop can be used to make another pair. The next step for Adidas will be manufacturing water bottles, tote bags and more with same purpose.
Manufacturing of shoes without use of glue still seems unacceptable. But, Adidas has spent decades mastering a technology that can make shoes with a single material and without glue. Different parts of Futurecraft Loop are made in China but, assembled in its robot-staffed Speedfactory in Atlanta. These shoes were also put to test by runners who ran upto 400kilometers.
Adidas is one of the major brands to practice sustainability and focus of green innovation. With Parley, Adidas made a shoe with recycled ocean plastic in 2016 and currently they are expected to produce 11 million pairs. For a wider release of Futecraft Loop, Adidas plans to first manufacture 200 pairs and give it to selected customers. Their feedback on the same will be then used to further improvise this product.