Adidas and Stella McCartney reveal two new sustainable apparel prototypes

Adidas and Stella McCartney are forging ahead with new, sustainable developments with the release of two fresh apparel innovations, including the first commercially-produced garment to use new technology that purifies old cotton to transform it into new material.

The first item -- a 100% recyclable hoodie -- has been created from garment waste via a process dubbed NuCyclTM which "essentially turns old clothing into new, high-quality raw materials for the creation of new clothes," according to Evrnu, the company that developed the technology.

Specifically, the Infinite Hoodie has been crafted from 60% NuCyclTM and 40% organic cotton that has been diverted from landfills and can be reused repeatedly to be remade into high-performance product, with the performance garment marking a move towards a reality where products may one day be completely recycled and repurposed.

The second piece from adidas by Stella McCartney comes in the form of a tennis dress created with MicrosilkTM and cellulose blended yarn.

The Biofabric Tennis Dress -- also the first-of-its-kind -- is a prototype concept incubated in partnership with Bolt Threads, a company that specializes in bioengineered sustainable materials and fibers.

Made with cellulose blended yarn and MicrosilkTM -- a protein-based material that is made with renewable ingredients, like water, sugar, and yeast -- it has the ability to fully biodegrade at the end of its life.

Commenting on the creations and  adidas's ambitions to be greener, James Carnes, Vice President of Strategy Creation at adidas, said that creating products with upcycled plastic waste is only the first step for the sports brand, with big plans ahead to innovate further.

"The next challenge is to end the concept of waste entirely. Focusing on three core areas, we will explore ways to create products that can either be fully recyclable or biodegradable," he said.

"We don't have all the answers and we know we can't do it alone. By collaborating with partners who share our same vision, as we've done with Evrnu and Bolt Threads, we can combine adidas's sports industry expertise with specialist knowledge to bring about a waste-free world."

Stella McCartney added that fashion is one of the most harmful industries to the environment, and the time is now to search, and find, answers and alternatives to the toxic waste problem currently polluting the industry.