Following Adidas, Stella McCartney also announces her intention to collaborate with Parley for the Oceans to clean up the seas, using a yarn made from recycled plastic.
According to a study published in the journal Science, every year between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes of plastic waste end up in the sea, where they lie for many years before finally breaking down, damaging the marine ecosystem — so vital to the fish that depend on it, and to our own food supply.
It is for this reason that Stella McCartney, the well-known British fashion designer with a particular sensitivity to environmental issues and animal rights, has decided to make her contribution by launching a partnership with Parley for the Oceans, the organisation that fights to protect the oceans by proposing innovative solutions for the intelligent reuse of plastic waste.
Read also: What is World Oceans Day 2017
Announced in parallel with the celebration of World Oceans Day on 8 June, the collaboration between Stella McCartney and Parley for the Oceans will centre on the use of a special yarn made from plastic waste collected from the sea in the creation of a number of garments and accessories dedicated to the most prominent figures in the ocean cause. The first products to emerge from the project are the Adidas Adidas Ultraboost X sneakers designed by Stella McCartney and the Falabella Go "Ocean Legend" backpack in honour of Captain Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and co-founder of Greenpeace, which will be available from July.
Read also: Run for the Oceans, Adidas organises a race to save the seas
Both will be made with Parley Ocean Plastic™, the one-hundred-per-cent recycled material derived from plastic objects such as fishing nets, debris and bottles recovered from the seabed and beaches with the help of governments and local authorities in the countries participating in the initiative launched by Parley. Every month, between 80 and 120 tonnes of waste are saved, which, once cleaned and processed, are transformed into a yarn or fabric suitable for replacing wool and recycled polyester in the creation of shoes, bags and outerwear.
Read also: How to clean plastic from the oceans — the Corona x Parley initiative
"We know that when Stella McCartney starts something, she sees it through," said Parley founder Cyrill Gutsch to The New York Times. The organisation has great faith in the partnership with the famous cruelty-free brand which, also with an eye to future collaborations with other figures from the world of fashion, could trigger a genuine turning point within the industry.