In 2016, footwear company Allbirds paved the way for a different way of doing business in the industry with the introduction of its signature sneaker. By using eco-friendly materials and taking small steps to reduce the environmental impact of shipping, such as reducing packaging, the company has developed a manufacturing process for its wool runners that generates around a third fewer carbon emissions than the industry-standard process for making a performance sneaker.
Today, the company announced a partnership with sportswear giant Adidas. The partnership has resulted in a new shoe that is part of Adidas’ Futurecraft line of technologically advanced apparel. A revolutionary running shoe with a carbon footprint of 2.94 kg CO2e, a personal best for both brands. By using an alternative manufacturing method, adidas and Allbirds were able to create the shoe with 63% fewer emissions.
An interesting aspect of this project is the time it took to go from drawing board to finished shoe; Adidas and Allbirds took around 12 months. Even the weight mark – “2.94 kg” written on the side of the shoe – has been used.
The fact that a handful of sportswear companies – even two big names like these – are implementing carbon reduction projects means that this is just window-dressing for a much bigger problem. But the speed with which this project was completed suggests that companies can change the way they manufacture consumer goods much more quickly than we think.
