#Retail & Brands

2022-11-17

Virtual Gear for New Realities: adidas Originals launches inaugural NFT wearables collection

adidas Originals unveils a limited collection of blockchain-based virtual wearables, released as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on adidas.com/metaverse. Representing the brand’s first NFT collection of wearables, which is a new, interoperable product category adidas calls “Virtual Gear”, the launch accelerates adidas Originals’ drive towards strengthening its community-based, member-first, open metaverse strategy.

Revealed following a teaser campaign with the adidas Discord community, and available within the wallets of existing Phase 2 Capsule NFT holders, the 16-piece collection is a creative and cultural milestone in the brand’s history – tying together past and future, virtual and physical, communities and creators, culture and identity.

Speaking on the launch, VP of the adidas /// studio ('Three Stripes Studio'), Erika Wykes-Sneyd said, “We’re laying down a marker in this new age of originality - one that unquestionably serves the community, heroes the purveyors and collectors of emerging style and culture, benefits the value creators, and supports the diversity of expression and utility that blurring virtual worlds has allowed us all to explore.

Wykes-Sneyd continued, “I love the opportunity this collection represents for our most engaged community of holders. Every capsule holder has a choice at launch – burn and express their virtual identity with adidas’ first Virtual Gear collection, or list and allow others to join this community. With our community and creator ecosystem at the core, adidas will explore every viable utility, platform, and experience within Web3 to unlock new possibilities for our wearables, with a focus on tangible value and immutable utility for our community members. No matter what, no matter where – adidas is synonymous with the boundary breakers. Now, in whatever realities they choose to inhabit.”

Designed to be worn by virtual avatars, and accessible through a PFP dressing tool, every piece within the latest NFT offering is interoperable with other identity-based projects and worlds. This means that the adidas collection is able to respond and adapt to the metaverse environments being built, so that the ‘Virtual Gear’ is ready for all frontiers of Web3.

The collection itself looks ahead to a future not yet realized with a series of disruptive designs, including an “C2172” and “SPACE CRYSTAL”. Meanwhile, provocative odes to the boundless possibilities of metaverse worlds, such as “WALLRUNNER” and “P.F.D - Personal Flotation Device”, offer playful takes on the brand’s creative potential. Subtle nods to iconic aspects of adidas Originals’ inimitable DNA, are then realized through designs like the “NEOBONE”, which is inspired by the rubberized sole pattern of the timeless Superstar silhouette.

As part of the continued collaboration with the brand's earliest Web3 partners, the collection also includes three limited edition creator-led wearables – each representing the creative flair of Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), Gmoney, and Punks Comics, respectively.

Commenting on the collection, Nic Galway, Senior VP of Creative Direction for adidas Originals added, “As a brand, adidas has always been about exploring the edges of creativity and pushing the boundaries to find what’s beyond. But Web3 offers our designers and collaborators a new outlet to imagine, and reimagine, how our brand can be represented in augmented and virtual worlds. Creatively, we’re extremely proud to say that this virtual collection represents more than just a historic first for adidas. It also represents an idea of wearable clothing that can transcend time and space, a community that is vividly diverse, and a level of utility that can be explored and even discovered as worlds and avatars take new forms.”

The highly limited wearables collection arrives on November 16th. Owners of the adidas Originals: Capsule NFT Collection, which was launched in May 2022 as part of one of the largest NFT Airdrop in history, will be able to discover which of the 16 unique pieces they have been allocated once they choose to reveal and replace their Capsule NFT. This means they will have to agree to ‘burn’ the Capsule NFT they currently hold, in order to generate at random one of the 16 new digital wearable NFTs.

For those who don’t currently hold an adidas Originals: Capsule NFT, the new Virtual Gear collection will be available to purchase directly across the relevant NFT marketplaces, from November 16th onwards. As an added benefit, community members who hold a virtual wearable NFT and a compatible partner collection NFT (BAYC, MAYC, Inhabitants) will be able to utilize a PFP Tool, coming soon, to ‘dress up’ their NFT with their adidas virtual wearable.

Learn more at http://adidas.com/metaverse.

textile.4U publishes special edition “Top 100 Textile Recycling Companies 2025”

With a comprehensive 176-page special edition, textile.4U is dedicating its latest issue entirely to one of the most dynamic and influential topics in today’s textile industry: textile recycling. The new issue, published exclusively in high-quality print, presents the Top 100 textile recycling companies researched and selected by TexData – organizations that already play a key role in the transition to circular textiles or are expected to have a significant impact in the near future.

Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024 signed by Governor

Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) is proud to announce that Senate Bill 707 (SB 707), the Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024, has been signed into law by the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom. This groundbreaking legislation establishes the country’s first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) textile recycling program, marking a significant step forward in the state’s efforts to combat waste and promote sustainability.

Modtissimo promotes sustainability with 28 coordinates in the Green Circle

Modtissimo is proving more and more to be a textile and clothing show that delivers the latest innovations in the area of sustainability, with the iTechStyle Green Circle being the main showcase for companies' creations. In this 60+4 edition, taking place on 12 and 13 September, 28 coordinates will be exhibited in a section organised by CITEVE and curated by Paulo Gomes.

The EU and Egypt team up to mobilise private sector investments at Investment Conference and sign a Memorandum of Understanding underpinning €1 billion in macro-financial assistance for Egypt

At the EU-Egypt Investment Conference, co-organised by the EU and the Government of Egypt on 29-30 June, the EU and Egypt are teaming up to intensify private sector investments in Egypt. They are also signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the disbursement to Egypt of up to €1 billion in Macro-Financial Assistance.

Recover™ secures multi-year recycled cotton agreement with H&M

Recover™ has signed a multi-year agreement with H&M to support the integration of its recycled cotton fiber, RCotton, for use in H&M’s products. Since early 2024, H&M and Recover™ have collaborated on product development, which now enables scaled commercial introduction of Recover™ mechanically recycled cotton into H&M’s collections.

GORE-TEX® KIDSWEAR launches innovative membership scheme for kids’ jackets

With its revolutionary new membership model, GORE-TEX® Kidswear now offers families a simple, flexible and sustainable way of kitting out their children in top-quality jackets. It is aimed at the parents of children aged between five and ten and kicks off with a choice of functional winter jackets.

Toray develops recycling technology that retains carbon fiber strength and surface quality

Toray Industries, Inc., announced today that it has developed a recycling technology that can decompose diverse carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) made from thermosetting resins while retaining the strength and surface quality of those fibers. The company drew on this technology to create a nonwoven fabric employing recycled carbon fibers.

Panty liners prevent bacterial vaginosis

Worldwide, almost one third of women of childbearing age suffer from bacterial vaginosis. This is when the sensitive microbiome of the vagina becomes unbalanced. Such a disorder of the vaginal flora can cause urogenital infections, abscesses on the ovaries or fallopian tubes or premature births. This significantly increases the risk of infertility in women and of contracting a sexually transmitted disease or HIV.

PERFORMANCE DAYS sets benchmarks with record attendance & strong industry presence

With around 4,500 professional visitors and 515 exhibitors, PERFORMANCE DAYS closed its doors on October 30, 2025, after two highly successful days in Munich. Expanded show areas, an international audience, a top-class Expert Talks program, and an inspiring DAY 0 Conference with an innovative concept underlined one thing clearly: PERFORMANCE DAYS has become the leading business platform for the functional textile industry.