Sustainable, part IV – Adidas by Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney, as a business, is one of those rare companies in fashion that was founded entirely on the principles of conservation and environmental awareness from the get-go.  There was no ‘getting around to it’ or ‘evolving towards it’.  McCartney herself made it a part of the fundamental DNA of the business from the moment she first registered the company trademark.  That was back in 2001.  You have to admire the foresight of being one of the first ever designers to stick their head above the parapet on such a radical principle, just to see the rest of the industry catch up to her almost 20 years later.

What shouldn’t be forgotten however is that this is not just a principle for principles sake.  The only way anyone can make an environmentally conscious business sustainable (as a business) is still to produce products that customers actually want to buy – regardless of the materials or production processes used.  We’re seeing more and more that once this side of the equation is successfully balanced it can lead to guilt-free growth, profits and market share.  And if there’s one thing that can be said about Stella McCartney collections over the years it’s that they’ve proved to be very, very desirable.  Crucially, her skills as an artist and designer has never been compromised by her environmental ethics.  As she’s emphatically stated previously, first and foremost she’s a fashion designer.  The green angels on her shoulder may mean she’s been forced to be much more creative about it but there is no ambiguity about who she is.

FITSENSE+ – Adidas by Stella McCartney SS19

So when you have that kind of very particular expertise and success in global fashion it’s perhaps only natural to lend it out to other fashion and apparel companies and help to re-orient a somewhat monolithic industry onto the right path.  And again, Stella McCartney was already way ahead of the game.  Since 2005 McCartney has had a formal partnership with sportswear giant Adidas to produce capsule collections that follow the same super high-end/strictly ethical standards she has set for her own label.  Today (Feb 15th) sees the latest iteration of that collaboration with the unveiling of ‘Change Creators’, the new Adidas by Stella McCartney spring/summer 2019 collection.  McCartney introduces the new collection as follows:

“I believe we all have a responsibility to work towards creating the future that we want. This shared belief is why Adidas and I continue to innovate and grow together. We are constantly evolving our commitment to sustainability, which goes back over a decade, by finding new ways to create ethical performance sportswear that women can not only look good in, but also feel good about wearing.”

With core beliefs like that it’s not surprising to discover that Stella McCartney is also one of the founding signatories to the UN’s recent Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, along with Kering and Burberry.

UltraBOOST X 3D – Adidas by Stella McCartney SS19

Following on from the success of last year’s Adidas/Stella McCartney all-vegan Stan Smiths (we’re still in love with them), this new collection is made from 70% recycled materials, including ocean plastic from Adidas’ recent partnership with Parley for the Oceans.  True to form, the materials are only incidental to the style and performance of the products themselves.  The impressively titled UltraBOOST X 3D shoe features a brand new knitting technique with a 360 primeknit sock and over 40% recycled plastic thanks to Parley Ocean Plastic.  Lycra FITSENSE+ materials are also introduced into the collection for the first time for flexible, breathable compounds that shapes, contours and hugs the body – providing the perfect support for high intensity workouts.

Primeknit Onesie – Adidas by Stella McCartney SS19

This season’s Adidas by Stella McCartney collection is about as modern, extensive and impressive as it gets.  It’s definitely a collection for women who take their sports training seriously and want to look the part doing it.  The eco-friendly component is, honestly, just the icing on a very multi-layered cake.  Three major consumer considerations addressed by one fantastic sportswear collection.  That’s the eco-genius of McCartney world.  Who could ask for any more than that?

To shop the Adidas by Stella McCartney SS19 collection click here.

To read part V in our Sustainable series click HERE.  To read part III click HERE.