adidas and Allbirds are working together once again to get the best from each other’s brands. The high performance of adidas running meets the natural materials of Allbirds to result in the ADIZERO X ALLBIRDS 2.94KG CO2E. An evolution of last year’s FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT, this is adidas and Allbirds lowest carbon shoe yet.

This is a minimal running shoe, stripped back to its material basics. All that reduction results in a shoe created with 63 percent less emission compared to one of adidas’s other running shoes, the Adizero RC3, and a carbon footprint as small as 2.94KG CO2E.

The ADIZERO X ALLBIRDS 2.94KG CO2E is made with at least 25 percent recycled materials. The bio-based EVA midsole, sockliner, tongue and heel foam are made with materials derived from sugarcane. The upper is made from 77 percent recycled polyester and 23 percent natural lyocell — a fiber made from sustainably grown wood.

The minimal and lightweight outsole is made with 10 percent recycled rubber, and has been reduced to a thickness of 1-1.2mm to further reduce material use. Further stripping back is achieved through the removal of the torsion bar which also helps with flexibility.

To reduce waste in production, a design method called the Tangram Principle has been used, which pieces together the upper and outsole. It’s this method that gives the shoe its unique cut-together aesthetic.

As adidas and Allbirds scale up production, they can now offer more colorways compared with last year’s FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT. In addition to the all-white colorway, you can now choose from Core Black/Bliss, Cloud White/Carbon and Core Black/Acid Red. However, even with these color splashes, the bulk of each shoe is non-dyed, using the material’s natural color to help reduce water consumption.

Co-branded details are featured on the side of the shoe, and the tongue tells us everything we need to know about the shoe’s carbon footprint.

For both brands, the climate crisis is at the forefront of their design thinking. Kimia Yaraghchian, Product Manager at adidas, says: “We want to show that drastic changes and solutions are possible within a very short time. As we are already in the midst of climate change, it is important to show people that industries can turn the switch now, and that there is still hope to contribute to not exceeding the 1.5 degree target.”

This adidas and Allbirds collaboration demonstrates the strengths of each brand; each lending the other its expertise to create a product that it wouldn’t be able to create alone.

“Climate change presents a formidable challenge, but the success of this project is an example of how two teams can work together to create a shoe fit for performance and the planet. Our overarching ambition with this shoe is to inspire others to open up their development processes and cooperate with others to create the most carbon efficient designs possible,” says Hana Kajimura, Head of Sustainability at Allbirds.

The ADIZERO X ALLBIRDS 2.94KG CO2E is available now for $120 USD. You can pick them up via the adidas website or select retail stores.