[INTERVIEW] A mission to rid the world of plastic

Parley for the Oceans founder Cyrill Gutsch, left, and adidas Korea CEO Eddie Nixon pose before an interview with The Korea Times at the German sports brand's office in southern Seoul. / Courtesy of adidas Korea

Parley for the Oceans, adidas partner to make the ocean plastic-free

By Lee Hyo-sik

"Plastic is a design failure," said a German-born designer from New York, who called on the world to find new, eco-friendly materials that can replace plastic to save the dying planet.

Parley for the Oceans founder Cyrill Gutsch, who transformed his design company into an environmental organization in 2012, said until then he will try to keep plastic bottles and other waste from flowing into the ocean, and reduce the amount of plastic already in the water by collaborating with adidas and other socially-responsible, environmentally-conscious corporate brands.

In a recent interview with The Korea Times, Gutsch also said Greenpeace and other environmental activists have failed to achieve their goals, stressing the world needs a forward-looking, less-radical movement that can involve all stakeholders to effectively protect the Earth.

"I decided to establish Parley for the Oceans in 2012 after learning about the threat that ocean plastic poses to sea life from environmentalist Paul Watson," he said. "The encounter made me commit to the environmental cause and I converted my design company into an environmental organization to devote my life to fighting the environmental threats we are facing right now."

Gutsch said the mission for Parley for the Oceans is to eradicate plastic by avoiding using "virgin" plastic, and collecting and recycling all the "ocean" plastic.

"But ridding the world of plastic will take a long, long time. I don't even know whether that is entirely possible," the German designer said. "Plastic is an outdated material and we have to find viable alternatives to plastic. It is a design failure because it never really dies and recycling it is only a band aid, not a solution. While trying to figure out the answer, the world needs to stop producing more plastic and prevent it from getting into the ocean."

Environmentalism in the past several decades has failed to achieve its goals, he said, stressing environmentalists should come up with a more consensual approach to convince governments, businesses and consumers.

"I am an environmentalist and at the same time, I am very much pro-business. I believe staging protests does not help us move forward," Gutsch said. "From now on, environmentalism should be based on arts, fashion and entertainment. We should appeal to people's hearts, not to their logic. Parley for the Oceans has proven this approach has turned trash into gold."

Adidas' EQT Support ADV sneakers made from ocean plastic with Parley for the Oceans

Partnership with adidas

Parley for the Oceans has created a global supply chain through which adidas and other companies receive recycled plastic and turn it into value-added, commercial products, the German designer said.

"In April 2015, we formed a partnership with adidas and it has been very successful," he said. "Parley for the Oceans chose adidas as its first major partner because the sports brand nurtures the culture of innovation, collaboration and diversity, which is what we are looking for in corporate partners. Adidas also has a long history of creating new materials and technologies, which have significantly helped turn plastic into valuable materials. Parley and adidas have become one family."

Adidas has been supporting Parley in its education and communication efforts, and commits to the principle of its comprehensive program: Parley A.I.R. (Avoid, Intercept, Redesign) strategy.

Under the Avoid category, adidas doesn't use plastic bags and microbeads, taking virgin plastic out of its supply chain. Under Intercept, the company has worked hard to stop plastic before it enters the ocean, while driving eco-innovation around materials, products and new ways of using them under Redesign.

"adidas has always been fostering open innovation and gone outside the company to work with other entities," Eddie Nixon, president and managing director of adidas Korea said. "We have forged a perfect partnership with Parley and we have received enormous positive feedback from consumers all over the world for our footwear made from recycled ocean plastic. It has been great that consumers see value in our products and let us know they are happy with them."

Adidas plans to introduce a million pair of shoes made from recycled plastic in 2017, according to Nixon, who said the company will introduce more newly-designed footwear and other category goods.

In addition to adidas, Parley is looking for partners in all industrial segments, according to Gutsch, who said it is talking with multiple corporations.

"In the sportswear category, we already have adidas. We would like to find a corporate model in all industries. In Korea, we are talking with several companies in information technology, automobile and textile sectors," he said. "The country is fascinating for us because it is driven by innovation and is willing to embrace and adapt new changes. Parley wants to partner with Korean companies for our cause."