Adidas

Adidas is a-German based multinational corporation that sells athletic clothing, shoes, and accessories. It is the second largest sportswear producer in the world, and the first largest producer in Europe. Adidas was founded in 1949 in Herzogenaurach, Germany by Adolf "Adi" Dassler.

Dassler originally began making and selling athletic shoes in 1924 under a different business name, Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik, with his brother, Rudolf Dassler. After a long-standing feud between the two reached a breaking point, the company split in 1947. In 1949, Adolf registered his new business, Adi Dassler adidas Sportschuhfabrik, later known as Adidas. In 1948, Rudolf created a rivaling business called Ruda, which would later be known as Puma. This sparked a lifelong animosity between the two brothers and businesses, to the point the brands became a common source of conflict between residents of Herzogenaurach. In 1949, Adolf Dassler patented a shoe with a design of three slanted stripes that would later become the company's logo. In 1972, Adidas released a new logo, the trefoil.

Some of Adidas's most famous shoes in its early days included a pair of rudimentary cleats that were athletic shoes made with screw-in studs on the bottom. In 1984, Adidas released a shoe with a Micropacer that tracked movement data. In 2005, Adidas released a similar shoe with a microprocessor that adjusted the level of cushioning in the shoe based on the surface it's worn on, as well as the physical movements of the wearer.

In 2015, Adidas partnered with the organization Parley for the Oceans, which raises awareness for ocean plastic pollution. Parley works with various partners to collect and transport plastic waste from coastal areas and beaches to its factories, where the plastic waste is shredded and made into polyester yarn or thread. Adidas uses these materials to create shoes for their collection Adidas x Parley.