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Over the past 50 years, the amount of plastic used worldwide has increased 20-fold and is expected to double again in the next 20 years. This material is cheap and versatile, but it also brings huge environmental costs.
Compared with other materials, the recycling rate of plastics is very low. Only 14% of the world's plastics are recycled, 58% of paper recycling and 90% of steel. Plastics production accounts for 6% of global oil consumption and is expected to grow to 20% by current trajectory by 2050.
Plastics are also used in large quantities in the garment production process, mainly polyester fibers, which are favored by the garment manufacturing industry because of their fast drying and light weight. Adidas said that the use of virgin plastics will be discontinued in the production line in 2024. Prior to this year, the use of virgin plastics in offices, retail stores, warehouses and distribution centers will be banned, with an estimated 40 tons of plastics per year.
Adidas plans to use 80% marine recycled plastic bottles on the 2018 Fall/Winter UltraBOOST upper, and the Spring and Summer 2019 apparel collection will contain approximately 41% recycled polyester.
In 2015, Adidas partnered with Parley for the Oceans to make sneakers using marine waste recycling. Although it sold only 1 million pairs in 2017, Adidas expects sales to increase significantly to 5 million pairs this year.
In addition to Adidas, Starbucks also announced that it will stop using plastic straws. McDonald's is experimenting with similar projects in the UK and Ireland. IKEA is phasing out disposable plastics used in stores and restaurants, and is expected to replace recycled plastics by August 2020. About 40% of the total plastic use. IKEA has acquired a 15% stake in Morssinkhof Rymoplast, a Dutch plastics recycling plant, and Morssinkhof Rymoplast produces more than 220,000 tons of premium recycled materials annually.
