Sporting goods company Adidas AG is phasing out the use of plastic bags in its own retail stores as part of a larger effort raise awareness about ocean plastic pollution.
The Herzogenaurach, Germany-based company has struck a partnership with an initiative called Parley for the Oceans.
“The partnership with Parley for the Oceans has already led us to reassess some of our business practices. Stopping the use of plastic bags in our stores is a primary example of this and the right thing to do,” said Frank Henke, Adidas group vice president for global social and environmental affairs, in a news release.
Adidas described the phase out of plastics bags at its own stores as “a first action” in the partnership with New York-based Parley for the Oceans.
The collaboration, the company said, will strengthen ties with customers by allowing them to be part of “the solution via retail and future activations.”
“By partnering with Parley for the Oceans we are contributing to a great environmental cause. We co-create fabrics made from ocean plastics waste which will integrate into our product,” said Eric Liedtke, Adidas executive board member responsible for global brands.
The company said the collaboration will accelerate creation of products and the integration of materials using plastic ocean waste under the Adidas brand “as of 2016.”
Adidas revealed the decision to phase out plastic bags as the company publishes its new sustainability report.
“There is no other brand that carries the culture of collaboration in the DNA like Adidas,” said Cyrill Gutsch, founder of Parley for the Oceans, in a statement. “Everyone has to be part of the solution. And collaboration is the magic formula.”
The partnership will include what Adidas calls three pillars, communication and education, research and innovation and direct action against ocean plastic pollution, according to the sustainability report.
Parley for the Oceans describes itself as “the space where creators, thinkers and leaders can come together to raise awareness for the beauty and fragility of our oceans and collaborate on projects that can end their destruction.”