The Adidas x Disney Collection Isn't Just Cute, It's Environment-Friendly, Too

Back in January, Adidas announced it was giving its classic tennis shoe, the Stan Smith, the unenviable task of saving the world. Since it first released in the early 1960s, fans of the Trefoil have remained loyal to this now immortal sneaker, which continues to etch its name in footwear lore.

Already pushing 60, the Stan Smith has become one of the brand’s most recognizable silhouettes, while largely retaining the same remarkably simple design when it first made its debut on clay and grass courts.  

Photo by adidas.

Simultaneous with all its success, Adidas understands the immeasurable impact the continuously growing industry has on the environment. Several studies, including one by a group of students from Rutgers University, indicate that the manufacturing of sneakers release harmful chemicals into the environment.

Apart from how they are produced, how we have been disposing our worn-out pairs is just as bad since dumping them in landfills or incinerating them further exposes the environment to the toxic stuff they’re made of. The report concludes that recycling is imperative.

Enter Stan Smith, Forever.

Photo by adidas.

Stan Smith, Forever 

Adidas’ announcement at the start of the year introduced us to Stan Smith, Forever, its initiative to End Plastic Waste. Using the throwback sneaker as its canvas, the brand hopes to turn back time and help undo the harm we’ve done to Mother Earth. 

Photo by adidas.

Photo by adidas.

The Stan Smith’s classic silhouette is reimagined with sustainable design using Primegreen, a fabric with absolutely zero virgin plastic, in the shoe’s upper. Along with a series of high-performance recycled materials, the shoe also features a recycled outsole. Adidas’ journey towards a sustainable future includes its goal to use 100 percent recycled polyester in its products by 2024.

Following the success of the campaign’s first few releases earlier this year, Stan Smith, Forever’s new chapter brings us a new collection consisting of seven imaginative iterations of the sneaker using the same recycled elements, this time featuring Disney characters to further take us back to a time when we hurt the earth less. 

Photo by adidas.

Photo by adidas.

The beloved Muppet Kermit the Frog, Mike Wazowski from Monsters, Inc., WALL-E the robot from WALL-E, Groot from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and Tinker Bell from Peter Pan are featured on interpretations of the all-too-familiar white/green colorway of the Stan Smith.

A black option shines the spotlight on Marvel’s Hulk while a reptilian green version of the shoe is inspired by Rex from Toy Story. Fun details like a quote from Kermit on the heel tabs, Hulk’s green fist busting out of the outsole, and Mike Wazowski eyeballing you all over the shoe’s upper are just some that reference the characters we’ve all grown to love through the years. Clearly, they’re as timeless as the canvas chosen for them to adorn. 

My favorite has to be ‘STAN’ scribbled on the outsole of the Toy Story colorway, of course with Andy’s penmanship.

adidas Originals and Disney’s collection is now available on adidas.com/stansmith, adidas stores, and select retailers globally.