The motto is catchy — “From Threat into Thread” — but sportswear giant Adidas and Parley for the Oceans, a nonprofit consortium of people and corporations collaborating on ocean-conservation projects, hope the movement it represents will turn a devastating problem into a viable solution — what to do with the plastic debris that is threatening the health of our oceans.

And it does seem to be gaining momentum: Soccer clubs Real Madrid CF and FC Bayern Munich debuted their Adidas football jerseys made from Parley Ocean Plastic during matches last November. Adidas is also making swimwear made from ocean plastic, too. The bottom line: Parley and its collaborators are seeking alternatives to plastic, as well as other toxic materials, and making them usable in products used every day.

Adidas’ latest running shoe is made almost entirely from plastic recovered from the ocean. Last year, Adidas released a prototype of the shoe and announced its ultimate goal of eliminating virgin plastic from its supply chain.

Adidas is committed to producing 1 million pairs of the UltraBoost Uncaged Parley shoes from more than 11 million plastic bottles; 7,000 pairs of the shoes are now on sale for $220 each. Eventually, Adidas hopes to expand the plastic-recycling efforts to include more of its product line.

ABOUT THE PARLEY AND ADIDAS COLLABORATION

Artists, musicians, actors, filmmakers, fashion designers, journalists, architects, product inventors, and scientists are collaborating to develop alternative business models and ecologically sensible products.

As a founding member of Parley for the Oceans, Adidas supports the efforts with research and development, eco innovation, direct action and other goals.