Building great products is easy for a season,but reshaping an entire industry takes conviction. Eric Liedtke has done it by following a clear principle: design with purpose, build with nature, and scale what works.

In this episode of The Speed of Culture podcast, Matt Britton sits down with Liedtke, CEO and co-founder ‍of Unless Collective and brand‍ president‍ of Under Armour, to explore how he’s pioneering the movement toward regenerative⁤ fashion and plastic-free innovation.

From his decades at Adidas to leading Under Armour’s change into a sustainability-driven performance brand, Eric shares how purpose, wellness, and eco-conscious design are redefining what the next⁣ era of ⁢sustainable sportswear looks like.

From Adidas to Unless Collective: A Career Defined by⁣ Sustainability

Previously at Adidas, Eric rose from trainee to brand president, leading high-profile collaborations with cultural icons like⁤ Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, and beyoncé. Crucially, he also embedded sustainability throughout the brand through initiatives like Parley for the Oceans,which ⁢repurposed ocean plastic into athletic wear.

Parley for the Oceans, launched in 2015, has removed⁢ the equivalent of 1.8 billion plastic bottles from the oceans, demonstrating the scale of impact possible through collaborative sustainability efforts. This initiative wasn’t merely marketing; it fundamentally altered⁣ Adidas’s material sourcing and design processes.

Unless ⁣Collective and the⁢ Future of Plastic-Free Apparel

In 2021, Liedtke founded Unless Collective, heralded as the world’s first plastic-free apparel brand. The company is built‍ entirely from renewable, plant-based materials, offering a radical choice to the petroleum-based synthetics⁣ that dominate the fashion industry.

Unlike customary sportswear, Unless Collective utilizes materials like eucalyptus, castor beans,⁣ and algae to create high-performance fabrics. ‍This approach significantly reduces the carbon footprint associated with apparel production⁢ and minimizes reliance on⁤ fossil fuels. The ‍company’s commitment extends beyond materials to encompass ethical manufacturing practices‍ and⁣ a circular economy model.

Under Armour’s acquisition of ⁤Unless Collective in 2024 signals a major investment in sustainable innovation. Liedtke now leads⁤ a new phase of transformation within⁢ Under Armour,merging high-performance design with eco-conscious principles.