Major League Soccer and adidas are once again raising awareness and inspiring action surrounding the impact of marine plastic waste by featuring customized Primeblue uniforms made from a high-performance recycled material and Parley Ocean Plastic™. The jerseys will be worn on field by MLS clubs May 27-29.
Committed to taking steps to address its environmental impact, MLS and adidas’ teamed up to create Primeblue jerseys which are made from plastics intercepted from beaches, coastal communities, and shorelines, preventing them from polluting the ocean. Once collected, the original plastic source is reworked into technical fibers that can then be repurposed for use in either apparel or footwear. The high-performance yarn features more than 50% Parley Ocean Plastic™ on each jersey.
“Major League Soccer is committed to reducing our carbon footprint and raising awareness about environmental issues, including plastic waste on land and in water,” said JoAnn Neale, MLS’ President and Chief Administrative Officer. “We are thrilled to have an innovative partner like adidas that enables our clubs to sport kits that inspire the soccer community to join together to preserve our ocean and create a cleaner world.
MLS also teamed up with We Are Social New York, a global socially-led creative agency, to develop content that sheds light on the effects of plastic waste in our oceans. Photographer Eric White captured MLS fans participating in a cleanup at Great Kills beach in Staten Island all while sporting the Primeblue jerseys. The event showcased how even a small group can take bug step towards creating a more sustainable future.
In addition to Primeblue jerseys being worn on field by clubs throughout the weekend’s matches, many MLS clubs have made efforts in their local communities to create sustainable projects and educate people on the harmful impact of marine plastic pollution. From beach clean ups to plastic waste campaigns, the activations build off MLS WORKS’ Greener Goals initiative which raises awareness about environmental issues in the soccer community. MLS WORKS is the League’s social responsibility platform.
