- Vegan shoes are part of the Adidas Sustainability Agenda
- The shoes will be made of Mylo™, a leather substitute made from mushrooms
- For their development, Adidas is working with the biotech company Bolt Threads
Last year, Adidas already launched vegan models of some of their iconic sneakers. The well-known Parley Shoe, the Stan Smith, the Superstar and the Samba have since then been available as versions made from recycled polyester. Now, the company has set itself another goal.
Vegetable-based leather
In 2021, Adidas is additionally planning vegan, biodegradable shoes. To do so, the brand uses a raw material which originates from natural mycelium (part of a mushroom) and is increasingly becoming more popular: Mylo™.
Adidas is working with Bolt Threads to develop these vegan shoes. The biotech company provides the innovative biological leather alternative Mylo™. In the production process, it is processed in the same way as animal leather traditionally is. The material is soft, supple and has an unmistakable feel - the difference is hardly noticeable.
Bolt Threads is already working with some well-known brands that use Mylo™ as a leather substitute for their products. These include Lululemon and Stella McCartney. It has not yet been announced which models will be launched as vegan versions. However, we will know soon: Adidas and Bolt Threads have been working on the products since October 2020 and promised to launch the collection in the course of 2021.
Related topics: Vegan en vogue: Top 5 luxury labels for vegan clothing
Adidas innovates for a more sustainable future
In addition to the use of vegetable materials, Adidas has also declared their goal to fight plastic waste in the future. The company is primarily planning to recycle plastic from the oceans in order to replace other environmentally harmful materials. Further strategies for environmental protection are also planned:
- In 2021, Adidas plans to produce 17 million pairs of shoes from recycled plastic waste
- Adidas plans to exclusively use recycled polyester by 2024 - currently, the percentage is over 50 percent already
- Since 2021, Adidas only uses recycled packaging for transport and deliveries
- By 2030, the CO2 emissions should be reduced by 30 percent
- By 2050, Adidas wants to reach climate neutrality to reach
