Since the announcement with Parley Ocean Plastic in 2016, adidas has been one of the leading brands in pushing next-generation reforms in the fashion industry. Whether it’s the use of recycled materials or reducing its carbon footprint, the brand has partnered with industry-leading manufacturers in this pursuit. For its latest breakthrough, adidas has partnered with Allbirds to announce the first commercial launch of FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT. Just eight months after the concept was announced, adidas X Allbirds releases its first sneaker.
The Process
The FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT concept shoe was a step towards the introduction of a low-carbon performance footwear manufacturing process. The mass production of the sneaker demonstrates the power of collaboration to the rest of the industry and beyond.
The new silhouette has a carbon footprint of just 2.94kg CO2e per pair. This represents a personal best for both brands as the result of collective ambition. FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT is a performance running shoe with as low a carbon footprint as possible.
The FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT project is an illustration of how quickly progress can be made when sharing innovations and collaborating with a common goal. It is an example of the power to encourage others to rethink the ‘business as usual’ standards of today.
In addition to this, the learnings from the project will lay the foundations for years to come. The exploration of low-carbon design and creation will be stepped up across a broader range of products. Allbirds will also be applying the project insights to engineering natural materials to its portfolio of performance and lifestyle products.
The FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT
In terms of the FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT design, it follows the philosophy of “the art of reduction.” It is meant to give runners exactly what they need and nothing more. Less is more.
The idea behind this was the introduction of efficiency. This extends to the time taken on the design itself, as well as the manufacturing in terms of materials used. As a result, less rolls of material is used on individual pieces of where the shoe is cut from.
The design drew inspiration from the tangram principle. This is the process of treating pieces of material like a tangram puzzle, each fitting perfectly together to minimise wastage. This, then, reduces the carbon emissions.
adidas and Allbirds’ proprietary technologies are brought together to work in harmony. The LIGHTSTRIKE midsole from adidas was tested on performance using the FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT midsole compound. This midsole is crafted from a bio-based sugarcane, which offers a low-carbon component using natural materials.
Not only is it low-carbon, but the sneaker is also one of the lightest in the industry. This is a further saving on material usage as only what is needed is used during manufacturing. Even with these reductions, the performance integrity of the shoe is still maintained.
The upper of the FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT is another material hybrid. It is manufactured from a material made of 77% recycled polyester and 23% natural Tencel. The Tencel is a material made from wood pulp, further contributing to the natural materials used during manufacturing. This created a smooth, lightweight upper that lives up to performance expectations.
Lastly, the outsole is made with 10% recycled rubber.
The adidas X Allbirds FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT is available in limited quantities online at adidas.co.za, as well as in-store.
In-store locations are adidas stores in Sandton City and V&A Waterfront. It is available at a price of R2,499.
