These running shoes are made out of recycled plastic and old fishing nets

Adidas' latest shoes take recycling to a whole new level. The seafoam green kicks aren't just made out of plastic — they're made out of both plastic that's been recovered from the ocean floor and fishing nets that have been cleaned off the coast of Africa. The entirety of the shoe's upper is made from the recycled products, and roughly 16.5 bottles and 13 grams of plastic from nets go into each shoe. This video gives a good look into the production process:
If the shoes sound a bit familiar, it's likely because this isn't the first time Adidas has tried to pull off this shoe innovation. Adidas first teamed up with the company Parley for the Oceans last summer to come up with the idea — but the shoe they initially created wasn't exactly wearable. On Tuesday, however, Adidas unveiled a new iteration of the shoe that's both made from the recycled materials and that meets its standards for comfort and performance.
But before you get too excited about strapping ocean garbage to your feet for your next run, be warned: Adidas is only releasing 50 pairs of the shoes right now, and they won't be for sale. While the company seems to have cracked the comfort conundrum, it still hasn't found an easy way to get the fishy smell out of the shoes.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - May 11, 2025
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - shark-infested waters, Mother's Day, and more
-
5 fundamentally funny cartoons about the US Constitution
Cartoons Artists take on Sharpie edits, wear and tear, and more
-
In search of paradise in Thailand's western isles
The Week Recommends 'Unspoiled spots' remain, providing a fascinating insight into the past
-
India strikes Pakistan as tensions mount in Kashmir
speed read Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called it an 'act of war'
-
Israel approves plan to take over Gaza indefinitely
speed read Benjamin Netanyahu says the country is 'on the eve of a forceful entry'
-
Putin talks nukes as Kyiv slated for US air defenses
speed read 'I hope they will not be required,' Putin said of nuclear weapons on Russian state TV
-
US, Ukraine sign joint minerals deal
speed read The Trump administration signed a deal with Ukraine giving the US access to its mineral wealth
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Israel launches air strike on Beirut suburbs
Speed Read The attack targeting Hezbollah was Israel's third on the Lebanese capital since November's ceasefire
-
Dozens dead in Kashmir as terrorists target tourists
Speed Read Visitors were taking pictures and riding ponies in a popular mountain town when assailants open fired, killing at least 26
-
Israel blames 'failures' for killing of medics
speed read 14 Gaza medics and 1 U.N. employee were killed by IDF special forces