Eco-friendly: how and why sports brands care about the environment

In today’s world, caring for the environment has turned from a human initiative into a positive trend. Nowadays, a barista in a coffee shop will look at you with a smile and approval if you ask to pour a drink into a reusable glass you brought with you. And friends will probably want to know where you bought those sneakers if you tell them they’re made of recycled plastic. Major sports brands are also trying to be as eco-friendly as possible and are coming up with various initiatives.

Why do sports brands care about the environment?

They do it for the same reason that every person should take such an initiative. Negative changes have been observed on our planet for years: the water in the seas and oceans is getting dirtier, animals die because fragments of plastic cans get into their stomachs, the climate changes due to emissions into the atmosphere and leads to natural disasters. All this happens because people exploit the resources of our planet for the sake of production and forget that without a stable and clean environment we are unlikely to survive.

That’s why sports (and not only) companies are trying their best to move away from once toxic production. After all, as the saying goes, if you want to change the world, start with yourself. The simplest thing that one person can do to help the environment is to stop using plastic trinkets in favor of reusable things. After all, this particular material is hard to degrade and has a negative impact on the earth’s surface, waterways and air. Big brands, for their part, are looking to recycle the waste they already have, thereby preventing plastic pollution, and move towards creating biodegradable products. We tell you how they’re doing it.

Nike is turning old shoes into a playing surface

This company has proven year after year that it is a leader in innovative manufacturing. It has long been known that Nike will easily sew soccer uniforms out of plastic. In such equipment, which is not inferior in quality to that made of polyester, clubs “Spartak” and “Zenit” perform. But the American concern has more interesting projects.

For example, the Reuse-A-Shoe program was launched back in the 90s. Its essence is that in many countries around the world there are points where you can take worn-out sports shoes instead of just throwing them away. Nike Grind’s high-quality materials technology, which is used in 71% of the brand’s footwear and equipment, will recycle your old sneakers and create a new playground out of them.

You can also join the care for the planet in Moscow. Nike Box MSK in Gorky Park regularly holds lectures devoted to ecology and its connection with sports. By the way, the space itself is made entirely of glass and light metal structures. The pavilion uses much less electricity than conventional buildings because it receives natural sunlight.

Patagonia repairs clothing and creates bold advertising campaigns

The eco outdoor clothing brand has been selling things made from plastic bottles and recycled materials since the 90s. Not too long ago, they developed a wetsuit made from plants. Patagonia’s main emphasis in manufacturing is on recycled clothing. While any brand wants to increase sales, this company makes sure that customers wear their product as long as possible and repair it rather than buying a new one. On the Worn Wear website, users can get an answer to any question about clothing repair from the American brand.

Sometimes Patagonia resorts to creative solutions to attract people’s attention. For example, on Black Friday 2011, the brand placed an advertisement on the pages of The New York Times with the words “Don’t buy this jacket”. The concern promised the newspaper’s readers to restore its old products and urged them not to buy unnecessary items even during discounts.

An eco-advertisement for the Patagonia brand printed in The NY Times on November 25, 2011

Patagonia is an activist in the fight for a cleaner environment. The company’s website has a section where any user can find information about environmental projects in which they can participate.

In 2017, the brand did not remain indifferent to the decision of Donald Trump. Then the US president reduced the territory of two reserves Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante by almost two million acres. Company employees published a provocative post with the words “The president stole your land. You’ve been cheated” and drew public attention to the problem.

Patagonia Eco-Advertisement

Billabong and Quiksilver recycle plastic and old skateboards

Environmental initiatives have come to surfing thanks to the efforts of Billabong. In 2007, the brand was the first to recycle plastic bottles caught in the ocean and create shorts for riders out of them. Now the company ensures that absolutely all new water sports models are made from PET containers.

Friendly company Quiksilver decided not to lag behind and in 2013 presented to the public a collaboration with Spanish brand Vuerich. They used old, unwanted skateboards to handcraft a limited edition sunglasses collection called The Griffin. Today Quiksilver collaborates with Repreve – the companies work together to create eco-friendly products.