Since 2019, Prada has been replacing virgin nylon with Re-Nylon in a bold move towards sustainable fashion.
Its goal to shift the entire production to 100% regenerated nylon was achieved by the end of 2021, and the milestone is marked by the new Adidas For Prada Re-Nylon collection which launches today.
The first Re-Nylon collection featured classic Prada bags executed with signature sustainable material. Produced by National Geographic, the series of short films titled What We Carry shows the cutting-edge processes behind the Re-Nylon initiative and the different sources of the recycled materials that comprise ECONYL yarn.
The Re-Nylon project is a partnership between Prada and Italian textile yarn producer Aquafil, which has over half a century of expertise in creating synthetic fibres. Over a number of years, Aquafil has invested heavily in ground-breaking research and development of sustainable materials.
ECONYL yarn is made by recycling discarded plastic and other waste materials that have been collected from landfills and oceans across the planet.
The waste materials are sorted and cleaned to maximise the quantity of the recuperated nylon. The regeneration and purification involves a chemical de-polymerisation procedure that recycles the nylon waste back to its original purity.
At production plants in Italy, the recycled materials are re-transformed into polymers and threads through a new polymerisation process.
The choice of the ECONYL yarn for the Prada Re-Nylon collection actively contributes to the reduction of global warming by up to 90% compared to the use of virgin nylon yarn. Moreover, the regenerated-nylon yarn can be recycled an indefinite number of times without affecting the quality of the material.
Following the first collection of bags, the Prada Re-Nylon collection expanded with ready-to-wear, footwear and accessories in 2020.
Luxury sportswear is sustainably reimagined through the latest Adidas For Prada Re-Nylon collection, which fuses the DNA of both brands.
The ready-to-wear and accessories include a tracksuit, sweater, hooded jacket and bucket hat. Each piece is available in a duo of colour iterations -- black with white stripes or white with black stripes -- detailed with Prada's enamelled triangle logo.
The large travel bag, backpack and shopping bag as well as smaller bandoleer, BP hoodie and belt bag feature Adidas' signature three-stripes detailing and Prada's metallic triangle logo.
The Adidas Originals Forum high and low silhouettes boast an elevated construction with Re-Nylon textile. The functional and aesthetic identity is then playfully reinterpreted by the addition of removable Prada mini-pouch attachments with the signature enamelled metal triangle. Available in monochromatic black and white colourways, the sneakers also feature luxurious leather three-stripe details and forefoot overlays, highlighting Prada's leather-working expertise.
Today's debut of the Adidas for Prada Re-Nylon collection comes with a unique digital activation, bringing brands and people together in a radically inclusive manner. Collaborative by nature, fans of the collection will be invited to participate in the metaverse with Adidas and Prada through open-source co-creation.
