Stan Smith's Recycling Machine Lets You Get New Trainers with Plastic Bottles

Stan Smith’s can now be purchased with not just money, but also plastic bottles. In an exciting new campaign centered on saving the world from our wasteful human products and encouraging people to recycle, adidas and creative agency Mojo Supermarket have created a one-of-a-kind recycling vending machine that accepts old plastic bottles as payment and offers discounts for new sustainable Stan Smith’s (which are partially made out of recycled bottles). It’ll make you think twice before you toss away that empty water bottle.

The way that it works is simple and can be broken down into three steps. You insert the empty plastic bottle you want to recycle, the machine will confirm that the bottle is recyclable and give you a voucher which you can take to the adidas store checkout as payment.

This clever machine would be meaningless if the shoes themselves weren’t better for the environment, and that’s where the quality of adidas’ new Stan Smith’s comes in. The silhouette’s the same, the style’s the same, that same classic sense of luxury is there, but what’s different is the fact that they are now more sustainable. adidas used premium PU-coated recycled polyester, which provides the same look and feel as previous leather. The brand also announces that this new material will become the standard in Stan Smiths going forward. adidas is doing its part to make sure that Stan Smith shoes help to protect the world in the same way as recycling plastic does. 

"We love working with our friends at adidas because they actually try to use their influence to solve cultural problems, not just business ones.” said director of Art & Design Camilo Galofre

The Stan Smith vending machines can be found at adidas Flagship New York store, adidas Flagship Paris store, and are being introduced to additional global markets later this year. 

Mojo partnered with Tomra who customised its vending machine for this installation.