Even football boots are becoming sustainable

The quest for sustainability that has gripped the fashion world in recent years affects not only brands, but also and above all consumers. Although we are still a long way from achieving the sustainability targets required to comply with the Paris Agreement, brands in every sector are taking a much more sustainable approach and paying more attention to how their products are made throughout the supply chain. Even the world of football has obviously got involved, experimenting with new materials and revolutionary designs since 2010. Nike experimented with and introduced Dri-Fit, while PUMA launched the first 72g jersey, the Ultraweave.

Fashion and sustainability in football are becoming more and more important in the dynamics of the jersey market, and brands are trying to find new solutions for their jerseys. And thanks to technology, we are now able to produce 100% polyester jerseys from recycled plastic, which significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the supply chain. And if the way jerseys are made is now completely outdated, the same has been true for a few months for another important accessory in the world of football, the boots.

A few weeks ago, adidas continued its collaboration with Parley, a non-profit environmental organisation that works to protect the oceans. After trainers and football jerseys, it is now the turn of shoes. Using the material created by recycling plastic waste recovered from islands, beaches, coasts and coastal communities before it can enter the oceans, the German brand has made the uppers from a high-performance yarn that is 50% Parley Ocean Plastic and 50% recycled polyester. A choice that at the moment only applies to the model with Parley, while the standard model launched a few months ago is only half recycled polyester, with the rest made from classic leather, the material adidas has always used to make its shoes since its inception with the Copa Mundial.

But on the other hand, the historic German rival, PUMA, has reacted and proved once again that it is one of the most sustainable companies. A few weeks ago, PUMA presented the historic and iconic model KING, but in a slightly modified version of the original, which has been worn by players such as Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona, Eusébio, Lothar Matthaeus and Pelé. The boots were made for the first time with an upper material invented by the German brand that is not of animal origin, K-BETTER. A material that allows PUMA to produce an upper made of 20 per cent recycled material, as a step towards a better future. And PUMA is so convinced of the properties and specifications of K- BETTER that it will stop producing football boots made of kangaroo leather this year. Over the years, we have seen the football boot evolve and become an integral part of football culture on and off the pitch. It has evolved from the classic all-black shoe to fluorescent colours that reflect the new materials. And now the aesthetic changes are being driven by greater sustainability, which will soon change the shape and materials of the shoe.

"This summer, Nike will renew the Tiempo line," the company said in a statement obtained by the website footwearnews. "The Tiempo Legend Elite will debut with a new synthetic upper exclusive to Nike. The upper is made from a new material that is a higher performance solution and replaces the use of kangaroo leather. Nike has discontinued its sole kangaroo leather supplier in 2021 and will no longer manufacture products with kangaroo leather from 2023."

It's not a random decision, but one that stems from legal necessity for the brand, as a very important law was passed in Oregon earlier this year banning the sale of kangaroo leather parts or products. And since Nike is headquartered in Beaverton, the new law certainly played a role, as did the desire for more sustainability. Like PUMA, the American brand has decided to take a new path and modify one of its historic models, the Tiempo. A revolution that Beaverton assures will not change the performance on the pitch in any way. On the contrary, in the press release Nike stated that it is ready to conquer the market with a new technology that will radically change production and perhaps even the way shoes are viewed.