There may have been a time when fashion was about nothing more than always staying ahead of the trend but today, with the global environment in irreparable disarray, more and more brands are realising the importance of sustainable design and stepping up to the responsibility that lies ahead of them. adidas is one such brand that hasn’t been afraid to wade neck-deep into the issue. With their collaboration with ‘Parley for the Oceans,’ they’re not just avoiding waste, they’re actually reducing it.

The Ultra Boost Uncaged is a frontrunner for a new generation of footwear. Designed for running culture, they put comfort first, with supportive four-way stretch, 100% boost midsole and feature unmatched grip and durability. What makes them so special though is the prime-knit upper is created entirely from yarn made from recycled ocean plastic. The use of light blue and white was chosen to remind people about the dangers of coral bleaching in reefs across the world, ensuring that everything about the design is focussed on raising awareness without compromising on the aesthetic itself.

Recovered from the beaches of the Maldives, each shoe contains the equivalent of 11 bottles worth of plastic. Though they began with 7,000 pairs, adidas is dedicated to creating at least a million Parley shoes in 2017, which will in turn remove millions of tons of plastic waste from the oceans. This line is not merely sustainable, it’s reversing the damage done over decades and is slowly making the change necessary to protect what’s left of our oceans.