Adidas is developing a new product and process to take advantage of existing sports shoes and other products to become part of future sports shoes, especially soccer cleats. The process is not complete, they estimate another three years before it will be on the market, but the excitement is already building around this concept.
One way they have already begun promoting the new shoes – Fifa Ballon d’OR winner Lionel Messi (also an ambassador for Adidas) donated his cleats to be broken down and remolded into 3D-shapeable material to build the “infinity” shoes.
Yes, you could just be one of the lucky people with shoes partly made from Messi’s shoes worn in winning matches around the world. The process manufactures new shoes from old ones without using adhesives or glue, and there will be no waste product when the shoe is finished.
Also, Adidas will invite customers to design shoes to their specifications. When the shoes wear out, they’ll be turned in for “infinity cycling.”
Research and development happen in the company’s German facilities. Gerd Manz, VP of technology and innovation at Adidas says, “This is a game-changing development.” He continued, “Over the next three years, Sport Infinity aims to end the days of throwing away football boots. Instead, every pair of boots is not just recycled but reimagined to the consumer’s most personal specifications,”
The process pulls from various industries, combining broken-down sporting goods with excess materials from other sectors. “So that a pair of football boots of the future could contain anything from carbon used in aircraft manufacturing to fibers of the boots that scored during the World Cup.” Adidas also noted almost 30 percent of all material used in sportswear production is wasted, most ending up in landfills.
Glenn Bennett, executive member of global operations, explained, “Following the announcement of Speedfactory and our partnership with Parley for the Oceans, Sport Infinity is the next step in our commitment to innovation and sustainability.”
Messi was quick to add his feelings, “Working to make sure that all of [Adidas’] boots, including mine, are being made in a way that protects the environment — for me, is the future of football.”
