Puma to launch sportswear collection made from recycled plastic bottles

Puma has teamed up with First Mile, a company supporting disenfranchised communities in Haiti, Honduras and Taiwan by collecting plastic bottles to produce recycled polyester. The duo announced the launch of a sportswear collection including shoes and apparel, set to hit stores in the first semester of 2020.

Commenting on the partnership, Puma’s Global Director of Brand and Marketing, Adam Petrick, said in a statement: “plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental problems the world faces today. That is why we are very excited to join First Mile and be a part of the solution while supporting low-income communities and transparency supply chains”.

First Mile says it has produced more than 300 tons of recycled yarn in 2018 with the help of a collection network of over 4,000 people. “The Puma x first Mile collaboration will positively impact lives by giving value to plastic waste”, said First Mile's Director of Partnerships, Kelsey Halling, in the same statement.

The news comes two months after competitor Adidas pledged to increase the production of shoes containing recycled plastic waste from five million pairs in 2018 to 11 million pairs in 2019.

Picture: courtesy of First Mile