Players participating in the 2019 NHL All-Star Game and Skills Competition will wear Adidas jerseys made of recycled marine plastic materials in partnership with Parley for the Oceans. Adidas and the NHL announced the news in a joint press release Wednesday.
Parley for the Oceans is an environmental organization that aims to raise awareness of pollution affecting the world’s oceans. Adidas and Parley will work together to collect plastic debris found in the ocean and repurpose the items to create the NHL All-Star jerseys. For example, plastic bottles that contain polyester fiber are being used to make the fabric of the first-ever NHL jerseys made of recycled materials.
“The NHL is a recognized leader in addressing major environmental challenges and preserving the roots of our game,” said Brian Jennings, NHL Chief Branding Officer and Executive Vice President, in the press release. “This year’s NHL All-Star Game in San Jose is the perfect setting for adidas to introduce environmentally-conscious jerseys that complement our focus on environmental stewardship.”
The SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., will host the 2019 NHL All-Star Game on Jan. 26 at 8 p.m. ET. The jerseys will debut a day earlier during the Skills Competition at 9 p.m. ET. For the first time in the All-Star Game, each individual player’s jersey will also feature their own team’s logo. Fans can purchase the special edition All-Star jerseys for $200 at adidas.com and NHLShop.com, and in NHL team stores.
SportTechie Takeaway
Adidas and Parley have a partnership that dates back to 2015. In 2017, the two collaborated to release three new versions of the UltraBoost shoe, all made from plastic debris found in the ocean. On average, the sneakers reuse 11 plastic bottles per pair and feature laces, heel linings and sock liner covers that are made from recycled material. Now that the partnership has extended to include jerseys, more professional sports leagues may be encouraged to create environmentally conscious apparel.