Adidas, BioSteel, and Recycled Materials
Wouldn’t it be cool if we could help solve pollution, trash, and environmental problems through creative product design? Well, that is exactly what Adidas is trying to do with their new line of shoes — and other athletic materials in the future.
Created from recycled ocean waste, Adidas has re-created a shoe made out of spider web like material called BioSteel. BioSteel, created by AMSilk, is completely biodegradable and stronger and lighter than most other synthetic materials. AMSilk has created the world’s first artificial silk fiber that is entirely made of recombinant spider silk proteins, made up of 100% natural based biopolymers — which mimics the incredible strength and durability of a spider’s web.
Applications for BioSteel range from high performance textiles to apparel, home decor and more. A few named on AMSilk’s website are outlined below:
- Apparel: High Performance Active Sports Apparel which outperforms natural fiber based products
- Footwear: Ultimate Active Sports Footwear which enhances speed and endurance
- Automotive: Premium interieur application with outstanding features
- Home + Interieur: New generation of furniture design
- Technical Textiles: Wide range of unique capabilities applied with Workwear
- Medical Textiles: Improved every day comfort, recovery and well-being
Claiming that over 200,000 man hours have been invested into this bioengineered product, it’s no surprise that they claim to be superior to all other options on the market pointing to BioSteel’s combination of strength and elasticity —which supposedly can catch a fully loaded 380 ton jumbo jet. This all comes with thought into sustainability, energy consumption, and use. This continues Adidas’ journey of sustainable innovation and new forms of mobility — starting with recycled plastics, partnering with Parley for the Oceans and now a totally different frontier of innovation, investing in environmental solutions that use science as an integral part of innovation.
As 3D printing has become increasingly relevant in mass manufacturing, companies have started a movement towards sustainable product design driven by not only concept, but technology and values. We’re seeing more and more of it — technology promoting sustainability — and that’s a fabulous thing. We’re even seeing big brands and influential pop stars — like 3D systems and Will I Am — teaming up to build and design products that will clean up our world, better our world, and create better products like the EKOCYCLE 3D printer. The EKOCYCLE 3D printer uses plastic bottles to create filament for the 3D printer to repurpose into other products. Incredible, right? These companies are leveraging new and improved technologies to move us away from our patterns of commercialism and waste, towards more sustainable, healthier lives. With partnerships such as BioSteel and Adidas or 3D systems and Will I Am, we have the ability to make products that not only perform better, but reach massive audiences and move real change. With sustainable innovation in mind, Adidas is working towards creating a better world.
