The idea of a material that contains recycled CO2 stems from consumer sensitivity to more sustainable fashion
From this autumn, over 400 thousand pairs of Adidas sneakers will contain ink enhanced with recycled CO2. The product is developed by Oco, a carbon upcycling company. The model affected by this collaboration, however, is called Terrex, a shoe born for trail running (the mountain race) and for walking.
The collaboration is told as useful to embrace a range of consumers increasingly attentive to the impact of fashion on the environment and climate change. So, moving towards circular materials becomes a marketing strategy. Oco’s proprietary technology produces ink enhanced with recycled CO2 from screen printing ink melted with the captured carbonaceous material. The mixture results in a screen printed decal that resists well to weather events.
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“Our goal has always been to facilitate the decarbonisation of consumer goods brands,” said Madison Savilow, co-founder of Oco. “This pilot project is an example of the possible collaboration between clean technology and industry-leading companies, Adidas. Today, there are few products available in the consumer market that are tangible examples of carbon capture and use. Although this is only a small component of the overall product, we are excited to work to introduce circular materials into consumer goods and advance consumer education”.
Marwin Hoffman, vice president of marketing for the global outdoor sector of Adidas, also puts the hat on the novelty of the new pair of sneakers . “Our commitment to sustainability includes material innovation and how we can create large-scale solutions. We are proud to announce the successful pilot project of Oco’s low carbon inks in our Adidas Terrex line. We will continue to raise the bar and create high-performance products, rethinking our materials and processes”.