Plastic bottles washed up on beaches and images of sea life tangled up in spools of fishing line or plastic beverage holders are depressing. Many items that find their way into the world’s oceans can be recycled, which not only cuts down on the amount of new plastic that needs to be used but also cleans up the environment.
Adidas has a goal of converting 100 percent of its virgin polyester to recycled in every application where a solution exists. To that end, at the 2019 U.S. Open, Adidas released the Tour 360 XT Parley golf shoes, footwear manufactured using upcycled plastic waste that has been intercepted from beaches and coastal communities in California. This week at the Players, several of the company’s staff players, including Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffele, will be wearing apparel and footwear that is made using Adidas’ Primeblue material which is also manufactured using recycled ocean plastics.
The Primeblue Code Chaos golf shoes ($150) feature the same spikeless sole found in the standard Code Chaos shoes that were released in January. Made from rubber and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), the rigid traction elements cover the sole, but a scattering of oddly shaped traction elements have been added to the forefoot area. Called Twistgrip, these pieces create extra forefoot traction in every direction as a golfer swings.
The waterproof mesh upper, made using the upcycled plastic, is breathable while the Boost midsole provides extra cushioning.