Conquering the plastic world. How sports companies care about the environment

Conquering the plastic world. How sports companies care about the environment

Uniforms from bottles, sneakers from garbage, solar-powered stadiums. What’s next.

Plastic takes about 200 years to decompose. According to environmentalists, billions of tons of plastic trash have accumulated on Earth. Scientists are anxiously calculating how many years this garbage will fill the planet if it is not actively recycled. Sports companies and clubs have started to pay more and more attention to environmental issues. We have collected the most striking examples of how concern for the environment manifests itself in sports.

Spartak and Zenit game uniforms made of recycled plastic

“Zenit and Spartak almost simultaneously presented their playing uniforms for the new season. Both Russian clubs have uniforms made of recycled plastic. The designer of the new game uniforms for the Russian clubs was Nike, which traditionally dresses Spartak and St. Petersburg. How does Nike sew the uniforms from plastic? First, plastic bottles are collected, sorted and washed. Then they are shredded and melted into thin plastic threads, from which the uniforms are sewn. It takes about 16 bottles to create one set. According to the manufacturer, the material is of the same quality as regular polyester.

Spartak’s home uniform for the 2019/2020 season

“Forest Green” – the “greenest” club in the world

Sports club Forest Green is considered the most environmentally friendly club in the world. The players here are prescribed a vegetarian diet, and all the equipment at the stadium runs solely on solar energy. The club also collects rainwater to use for irrigation. Dale Vince, the club’s president, is an ardent environmentalist, and he encourages his players to do the same. The club will start the new season in a uniform made of plastic and bamboo. The color of the uniform is black and green, and the design resembles the color of a zebra. This reference demonstrates the club’s unity with wildlife.

Adidas sneakers and playing uniforms made from ocean garbage

Back in 2015, adidаѕ introduced a model of sneakers made entirely from fishing nets and coastal garbage. According to environmentalists, of the tons of trash in the world’s oceans, 80% of it is plastic. To date, the company has sold more than 1 billion pairs of sneakers made from recycled materials. Over the next six years, Adidas plans to make plastic, which would otherwise remain in the ocean for years to come, the main material used to make its apparel.

In 2018, Adidas worked with several soccer clubs that play in the company’s uniforms to release game uniforms made from recycled plastic. The organization Parley for the Oceans and the sports brand worked together to design the 23-team jerseys in honor of Earth Day.

A soccer field made of plastic cups in Sochi

Russia has not been left out of the eco-trend in the wake of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Plastic cups that were left after the World Cup 2018 were recycled. They were used to make an artificial soccer field in Sochi near Fisht Stadium. More than 50 thousand cups were used for the sports facility. They were recycled into special threads, which became the main cover.

A soccer field made of plastic cups in Sochi

Energy-efficient Minnesota Vikings stadium

The stadium of the Minnesota Vikings team is a super eco-friendly place. U.S. Bank Stadium is completely self-sufficient in energy through the use of eco-technology. The glass roof lets in plenty of daylight and keeps snow and rainwater from accumulating. The air circulation in the stadium is arranged in such a way that it allows maintaining a comfortable temperature regime throughout the year.