Adidas announces 'low-waste' running shoe, expands DryDye line

As part of Adidas's latest venture to show greater environmental awareness in the making of its garments, the brand is expanding a technology that it says uses no water during the dye process to a range of tees, as well as introducing a "low-waste" running shoe, made from recycled materials.

Dubbed DryDye, the technology relies on pressurized CO2 in place of water to dye the shirts, all in an effort to reduce the vast quantities of water used to dye clothing. By using pressurized carbon dioxide in place of traditional water, this technology allows water savings of 25 liters per t-shirt, the company says.

Since introducing DryDye last year with an Adidas by Stella McCartney T-shirt, the company says it has produced one million yards of DryDye fabric, resulting in a savings of more than 25 million liters of water, the equivalent of 10 Olympic-sized swimming pools. In addition to eliminating the need for water in the dyeing process, DryDye technology use 50 percent less energy and 50 percent fewer chemicals than traditional dyeing methods, Adidas claims.

Adidas is now using DryDye technology in the manufacturing of its Prime T line, priced at €25 and available around the globe. Plus the company adds that it has its sights set on expanding the technology to other product ranges.

The company has also annonced a new running shoe that it says is made with minimal waste. The Element Voyager is made with fewer parts and more recycled materials. In fact, the shoe is constructed from only 12 parts -- that's about 60 percent less compared to traditional running shoes, Adidas says.

Last year, Nike also launched its Dri-Fit fabric range, which uses recycled plastic drink bottles to create polyester microfiber performance sport clothing intended to divert perspiration while being kind to the environment.