. S O M A : © I m a g e “The threats to ocean health are myriad, but so too are solutions. As such, Parley has collaborated with a range of brands and partnered with a number of high-profile designers and artists to accelerate the impact of a fast-growing global movement.” Previous Page: Doug Aitken, Underwater Pavilions, 2016. Installation view, Avalon, Catalina Island, CA, Pacific Ocean. Courtesy Line: MOCA Los Angeles and Parley for the Oceans. Image: Shawn Heinrichs. Left: Adidas UltraBOOST x Parley. Courtesy of Adidas. feared. There’s actually more microplastic 1,000 feet down than there is in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” Meanwhile, the emerging threat posed by deep-sea mining “risks severe and potentially irreversible environmental harm.” The factors contributing to ocean health are myriad, but so too are solutions. As such, Parley has collaborated with a range of brands and partnered with a number of high-profile designers to accelerate the impact of its global movement. Out of over 500 companies who expressed interest in working with the organisation, Parley’s first major partnership was with Adidas, who, in 2016, committed to using only recycled plastics in their products by 2024. Later that year, the brand unveiled its first products made from Parley’s Ocean Plastic. This patented material – which is made from upcycled marine plastic waste recovered by Parley during clean-up operations in coastal areas of the Maldives – is designed to reduce the use of virgin plastic. Gutsch expands: “Plastic lost the trust. It became a symbol of the toxic age we created. Together with our partners we are driving what we call the ‘Material Revolution’, which will end the use of harmful and exploitative materials and production methods.” It was first used in the form of new kits for football teams Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, as well as the first UltraBOOST Uncaged Parley running shoe. Three years on from the initial launch, Parley and Adidas have produced a range of items, including yoga and tennis clothes, all made from recycled yarn. The use of Parley’s Ocean Plastic is part of its “AIR strategy,” which means to “avoid, intercept and redesign.” Environmental activism in fashion was once the reserve of few, like punk pioneer Vivienne Westwood, whose T-shirts emblazoned with the words “Climate Revolution” were just one of the ways she pushed green policy into the spotlight. Now, more clothing brands are following suit, such as Stella McCartney, who uses “regenerated” cashmere and only uses viscose that can be traced to “the forest it came from” to ensure that it is sustainably and responsibly managed. Collaborations like Parley and Adidas show that putting the Earth’s health at the forefront can mean big business. Forbes magazine reported that if Adidas hit their target of selling five million pairs of Ocean Plastic shoes, the brand is set to make more than a billion dollars trying to solve one of the world’s biggest problems. “We knew that if we could convince Adidas to commit long term and become the blueprint of a new economy and the proof of concept of our strategy, we could change the whole industry,” says Gutsch. Outside of fashion, Parley is tackling the ubiquitous and destructive plastic water bottle. A million are bought around the world every minute, and as their use soars, efforts to keep them from clogging the ocean are failing. Parley has teamed up with Soma to produce a reusable water bottle made from the equivalent of two plastic bottles and a proportion of every sale goes to support initiatives of the Parley Ocean Plastic Programme. “Plastic is a design flaw,” says Gutsch. “We cannot fix it overnight, but we can all take steps to create change. Shifting mindsets and behaviours is as important as creating new systems. We all have a role to play. This bottle is another reminder of that fact and the beginning of a new collaboration in the movement for solutions.” Parley has also harnessed the skills of fine artists. Doug Aitken (b. 1968) produced a large-scale installation called Underwater Pavilions in partnership with The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) that consisted of three Aesthetica 29