24 Sep Spotlight | Climate campaign of the Day | Adidas x Allbirds

With climate week in full motion, design and sporting giant Adidas has partnered with sustainable footwear company Allbirds to address the 700 million metric tonnes of carbon emissions coming from the footwear industry every year. 

The two companies will work to develop solutions that would create one of the lowest carbon footprints ever recorded for a sports shoe by utilizing renewable materials and regenerative practices to reduce the embodied carbon of their products amongst other things. 

Currently, the average running shoe has a carbon footprint of approximately 13.6 kg of CO2. Allbirds has developed a Life Cycle Assessment tool that will provide insights on the carbon impact of each step across the value chain, and will be used to measure all products created through this partnership. Allbirds’ Dasher shoe already emits 30% less carbon dioxide than the average trainer. Any future Allbirds shoes will include a carbon count label that will inform customers of the exact carbon footprint of each pair throughout the entire value chain.

Together, Adidas and Allbirds aim to launch the first product coming from this partnership in 2021, following a number of trials exploring new innovative models and resources across their supply chains. 

This collaboration not only reinforces the importance of innovation and strategic partnerships to achieve climate action but also paves the way for increased transparency amongst brands regarding the carbon footprint of their products. Through an increased uptake of initiatives such as Allbirds’ carbon count label, customers could start holding more brands accountable to their sustainability initiatives; an important step to achieving the greatest climate action.