Sperry and Waterkeeper Alliance Partner on New Sustainability Initiative
By: Waterkeeper Alliance
To combat the world’s growing ocean plastic epidemic
Sperry, the iconic footwear brand with a heritage of innovation and a love for the sea, and Waterkeeper Alliance, the largest and fastest growing nonprofit solely focused on clean water, have announced a partnership. Together they will combat the ocean plastics epidemic, build awareness, share sustainable solutions and engage consumers and partners to create change together.
Sperry is set to launch the Look Good. Do Good. sustainability platform—a mission built to sustain the waters that span the globe and connect us all—by introducing a new collection of shoes for men, women, and kids, made with BIONIC® material, which is spun from plastic recovered from marine and coastal environments. To educate people on ways they can help protect the environment by reducing their use of plastic, Sperry and Waterkeeper Alliance are partnering on a voice-controlled experience, or skill, which works via Amazon Echo smart speaker devices. The skill, called Sperry Waterkeeper, is activated through Amazon’s voice-controlled virtual assistant service Alexa. When prompted, Sperry Waterkeeper will offer a range of actionable, every day tips for using less plastic. Such reminders include carrying a reusable water bottle and eliminating the use of plastic straws.
Waterkeeper Alliance works with BIONIC®, a mission-driven material engineering company, on its Ocean Plastic Recovery Initiative — mobilizing a network of Waterkeeper groups around the world to establish recycling infrastructure and plastic recovery efforts to stop plastic pollution from entering our oceans.
Sperry’s support of the mission will help raise awareness for the issue of plastics pollution, sponsor beach cleanups to help reduce the 8 million tons of plastic that enter the oceans each year and transform tons of marine and coastal plastic into shoes.
A selection of best-loved silhouettes – Sperry’s Authentic Original boat shoe; the Captain’s CVO and a Crest Vibe sneaker — draw on Sperry’s sailing roots and feature materials and styling inspired by vibrant, multi-colored sails with patchwork pieces and heavy stitching details. The collection’s packaging features eco-friendly innovations: shoe boxes are made from 100% recycled paper material, and only with vegetable ink and water-based glue.
Purchases of Sperry BIONIC® shoes help combat the global crisis of plastic pollution with support for Waterkeeper Alliance’s Ocean Plastic Recovery Initiative.
“We are a brand born of the sea. It is our duty to get involved and protect the waterways that stretch across the globe and connect us all. We are proud to work with BIONIC® and Waterkeeper Alliance,” says Kate Minner, CMO, Sperry.
“Waterkeeper Alliance is proud to be working with local communities to get plastics out of our waterways and recycle them into goods that consumers will use again,” said Marc Yaggi, Executive Director of Waterkeeper Alliance. “Thanks to partners like Sperry and BIONIC®, we’re able to inspire change around the world, one foot at a time.”
The Sperry BIONIC® collection will be available in March, at Nordstrom, Dillard’s, West Marine, Zappos, and Sperry.com.
Retail prices range from $70-$100.