Waste is often at the heart of fashion – both in the physical act of discarding materials, and in the ‘fast fashion’ ethos of throwing away items once they’re ‘out of style’ or no longer trendy.

Given this, it is perhaps surprising that relatively little attention is given to waste as a concept in the industry.

Not everyone is turning a blind eye, though.

PUMA has put together a couple of spectacular collaborations in the past, but their latest collab is by far their most eco-friendly.

According to Finder, the sneaker and apparel company has teamed up with First Mile, an organisation that works with micro-economies in Haiti, Honduras and Taiwan, to collect plastic bottles, effectively reducing pollution in these areas while also creating jobs for those in need.

These bottles are then turned into yarn, which is later used to create products such as the ones in PUMA’s new collection.

Each sneaker that features in the PUMA line is made from recycled materials along with the brand’s popular LQDCELL technology. The end result is performance-driven sneakers that are every bit as stylish as PUMA’s other designs.

In addition to the sneakers, 25 pieces of apparel also complete the line-up, with both men’s and women’s tees, jackets, caps, leggings and more on offer.

All of the apparel is made from at least 83% sustainable yarn sourced by the First Mile program, with some pieces even made entirely from the material.

The items in this collection have everything that you’d want from a quality PUMA product, with the added edge of being eco-friendly and sustainable.

PUMA made a rad short video that goes deeper into the collaboration:

So far the collection has “diverted about 40 tonnes of plastic waste from landfills and oceans, just for the products made for 2020”.

That’s good news for marine life, the planet, and anyone who likes to keep up with the latest trends, but also wants to do their bit for the planet.

The PUMA x First Mile range hasn’t reached South Africa yet, but you can keep an eye out for it on PUMA SELECT, or stop in at one of the stores on Bree Street in Cape Town, and Braamfontein in Johannesburg.

[source:finder]