adidas Terrex Free Hiker Made To Be Remade >>FUTUREVVORLD

Oct 17, 2021

The adidas TERREX Free Hiker Is The Latest 100% Recyclable “Made To Be Remade” Shoe

Oct 17, 2021

Earlier this year, adidas released the UltraBOOST Made To Be Remade sneaker as part of its Earth Day 2021 efforts and overall commitment to end plastic waste. Made To Be Remade (MTBR) is a circular concept and program that sits right in the middle of the global sportswear brand’s sustainable Three Loop Strategy alongside utilizing recycled materials and ensuring materials and products are regenerative. The UltraBOOST MTBR was the Three Stripes’ first commercial launch of a fully recyclable shoe that can be remade into new performance products. The Stan Smith followed suit being the brand’s first classic sneaker to receive the Made To Be Remade treatment, which launched through an exclusive digital scavenger hunt in August 2021 and set to receive a limited release in October 2021 to adidas Creators Club members.

The latest edition to the circular line are TERREX Free Hiker Made To Be Remade Hiking Shoes. While the UltraBOOST MTBR, Stan Smith MTBR, and its beta predecessor, the FUTURECRAFT.LOOP, are a mix of lifestyle and running, this new Earth-friendly option of the TERREX Free Hiker is meant to take you through your next outdoor trail adventure. The dye-free shoe uses a Boost midsole for long-lasting cushioning on varied terrain and features a sock-like fit while wicking away any outside moisture through an adaptive, water-repellant Primeknit upper, a TPU textile digitally knitted into one piece that results in less material and less production waste. An EVA stabilization frame helps lock in lateral stability and midfoot support, and a TPU rubber outsole, made in partnership with German car part manufacturer Continental, helps explorers get through tough conditions.

TPU is an important material to adidas due to its versatility. It’s flexibility and durability has led the brand to use it to develop Boost cushioning, and it has been melted down and reformed to create a range of different shoe components. “We are also the first manufacturer to purpose TPU into a yarn, which has unlocked a whole new dimension of creation possibilities,” says the brand.

As part of the Made To Be Remade program, wearers are able to enjoy the new TERREX Free Hiker MTBR and return the shoe at any time using the QR code printed on the tongue, a similar process used for the UltraBOOST MTBR and Stan Smith MTBR. The digital experience for returning product allows for labels to be generated for easy drop offs at the post office and is also is a hub for digital content to help educate and engage customer. Once received, adidas will grind the TERREX Free Hiker MTBR and remake the shoe into a new product.

“During production we carefully define how products must be designed and created so they can be remade. The process must be transparent, and repeatable. Only then can our learnings be adapted,” said adidas Director of Sustainability Innovation David Quass in a press release. “For example, in our apparel, we’ve designed products that, once returned, can be redeveloped into brand new yarn and reused to knit the next apparel piece. We’re exploring chemical and mechanical recycling technologies which can be applied depending on the material of the products, be it recycled polyester, cotton or regenerated cellulosic, or TPU.”

Accompanying the TERREX Free Hiker MTBR shoe is the TERREX Made To Be Remade Anorak, which is set to receive a commercial release in 2022. The Anorak is adidas’ second-generation prototype that follows the FW20 FUTURECRAFT.LOOP Anorak. Similar to the footwear and other Made To Be Remade apparel collections, the TERREX Anorak is meant to be the source of new materials and product after end of its initial product life.

The TERREX Free Hiker MTBR is another amazing step for adidas in its journey to circularity. The brand is scaling the Made To Be Remade program across multiple franchises rolling out more wider releases after a number of limited, beta launches. It’s not solely about adidas creating new product and programs, it’s also about helping customers change their perspective and behavior on how they view the life of sneakers and what they and do to help in the overall process.

“It puts the organization outside of its comfort zone. What we do is create and sell products, and that’s what we do best. Here we’re talking about changing the business model and promoting a different means of consumption for consumers, allowing them to engage with products in fresh, new ways,” said adidas SVP Strategy and Innovation Phillip Walker. “It starts from how we design products and moves to how we enable consumers to access these products and eventually give them back to us so that resources are kept in play and reused. It’s about inviting consumers to change behavior.”

The new TERREX Free Hiker Made To Be Remade Hiking Shoes are available now exclusive in store and online at adidas.com.

In other footwear news, adidas and Palace are set to release recycled version of the Ultraboost 21 in a new running capsule.