“Together, we see the possibility of running towards zero faster.”[i] These words encapsulate the aspiration behind the recent footwear collaboration between Adidas and Allbirds. One is a global sportswear giant, while the other is a fast-growing sustainable footwear startup. A collaboration between competitors may at first seem strange, but driving this partnership is a common sense of purpose and belief that combining their expertise they can create one of the most sustainable shoes in the world. Their partnership showed that the key to lower carbon impact may be collaboration, not competition.

In May 2020, Adidas and Allbirds announced a first-of-its-kind collaboration to create a performance shoe intended to have the world’s lowest carbon footprint*. Then this past May, in just 12 months, both companies unveiled their finished product. Compared to the average sneaker carbon footprint of 30lb (~13.6kg) according to a 2013 study from MIT, this new sneaker has a significantly lower environmental impact.[ii] By utilizing Allbird’s carbon footprint-tracking technology, both companies were able to break down and correct their impact across materials, manufacturing, product use, transportation, etc.[iii] Adopting carbon-footprint technology throughout the performance footwear industry would provide consumers greater information to compare products based on environmental impact. The Futurecraft.Footprint has a carbon footprint just under 3kg CO2e, 2.94kg per pair to be exact and available for consumers in 2022.

The Futurecraft.Footprint offers consumers a unique value of being an eco-friendly shoe, while still maintaining the performance standards that have made both companies successful. The Futurecraft.Footprint is a lightweight option that increases runners’ performance and lowers the financial and environmental costs associated with heavier shoes. In an interview with Wired magazine, Allbird’s vice president of innovation and sustainability stated that both companies were able to change the shoe’s design without adding extra material instead opting to find another way to build the support into the fabric of the shoe.[iv]

Allbirds + Adidas.jpg — [Photo: Allbirds/Adidas]

But sustainability isn’t just a buzzword for these two companies, it’s a part of their ethos. Sustainability is an integral component of Adidas’ future business strategy. Adidas has taken critical steps to address their environmental impact from developing new technologies to investing in strategic brand partnerships that challenge ongoing production challenges. Partnering with global collaboration network Parley for the Oceans, Adidas has begun phasing out single-use plastics and has launched several limited-edition products with the group aimed at reducing ocean waste.[v] Adidas and Parley have collaborated on several projects over the past five years creating sustainable apparel and footwear from captured and then upcycled ocean plastic waste.[vi] In line with new circular design methods, Adidas has also announced work on a project developing a 100% recyclable performance shoe where the raw materials can be repurposed again. [vii] Adidas continues to approach the challenge of innovation from a sustainable perspective.

Allbirds was founded on the basis of creating performance wear from natural materials. From using renewable materials to using less and cleaner fuel, Allbirds has instituted practices that actively make their business practices more sustainable and less harmful to the environment. When Allbirds introduced its signature sneaker, The Wool Runner, they developed a process that generated a third less carbon emissions than other industry-standard performance sneakers.[viii] Allbirds for its part, has made much of its sustainable technology, including its carbon calculator tool, open source.[ix]

[Photo: Adidas x Parley]

Collaborations are nothing new. Over the past 5-6 years footwear giants Adidas and NIKE have been revolutionizing how brands work together and innovate to tackle important climate issues. Certain businesses may fear cannibalizing their own revenues or exposing their technologies, but I’m of the mindset that real change happens when industry leaders set new standards and norms by working together. Adidas and Allbirds built a shoe that literally fused their individual technologies into the upper and midsoles, but beyond the actual schematics of the shoes, both brands realized the potential of accomplishing their goals of reducing environmental impact if they worked together. The Allbirds, Adidas collaboration has reemphasized the importance of working together towards a common goal. In accordance with their Move to Zero initiative, NIKE also recently launched a range of sustainable footwear partnering with London-based Ananas Anam to incorporate their sustainable plant-based alternative to leather called Piñatex.[x] Despite not marketing and advertising their sustainability efforts as heavily as Adidas, NIKE has continued innovating sustainable technology over the past few decades to reduce their environmental impact.

When brands like Adidas and NIKE lead, they bring along with them brand loyal consumers that then become more conscious buyers. It leads to the growth of the overall sustainable fashion market. Increasingly brands beyond the two footwear giants have collaborated to accelerate the spread of sustainable fashion practices. Materials science company Bolt Threads, well known for its biosynthetic Microsilk fabric, made news last Fall when they announced a consortium with iconic fashion brands to incorporate their new innovative and sustainable material Mylo, a mushroom-leather.[xi] Stella McCartney and Adidas have already unveiled future products utilizing Bolt Threads Mylo technology.

We can hope other brands follow suit. It’s in their best business interests to become sustainable businesses by actively making sustainable choices. The climate crisis isn’t going away and working together to rethink and solve this problem is in the best interest of these companies. The immediate impact will be felt from the production of these low carbon footprint shoes, but in the long term, it signals a move towards rethinking the entire supply chain and use of sustainable materials.

*Carbon Footprint – kilograms of CO2e emitted

[i] https://www.adidas.com/us/futurecraft-allbirds

[ii] https://news.mit.edu/2013/footwear-carbon-footprint-0522

[iii] https://www.allbirds.com/pages/footprint

[iv] https://www.wired.com/story/allbirds-adidas-futurecraft-footprint-running-shoe/

[v] https://www.parley.tv/updates/adidasxparley

[vi] https://www.adidas.com/us/sustainability-parley-ocean-plastic

[vii] https://www.adidas-group.com/en/sustainability/products/sustainability-innovation/#/futurecraftloop/

[viii] https://www.wired.com/story/allbirds-adidas-futurecraft-footprint-running-shoe/

[ix] https://www.ecotextile.com/2021042327699/fashion-retail-news/allbirds-makes-carbon-calculator-tool-open-source.html

[x] https://vegconomist.com/fashion-und-beauty/nike-reveals-happy-pineapple-collection-made-from-pinatex-pineapple-leather/

[xi] https://www.mylo-unleather.com/#partners