Tennis grand slam attracts splashy product line made from 72,000 water bottles

As excitement builds for the US Open in New York later this month, brands are pulling out all the stops.

Sustainable-fashion designer Rothy’s Inc. is launching a tennis-inspired collection made from approximately 72,000 Evian water bottles collected at last year’s tournament. Two types of sneakers, a cap, a visor and three bags will be available online and at its New York City stores beginning Tuesday, with prices ranging from $75 to $495.

Evian, a division of France’s Danone SA and a US Open sponsor, contacted Rothy’s last year about a potential partnership, Rothy’s interim Chief Marketing Officer Tom Herbst said in an interview. “It was a really good fit for us,” he said. “It just so happens that we’re launching this collection when tennis is having a moment.”

“During the pandemic, we saw a re-emergence of the sport as it was something people could do outdoors from a distance,” Herbst said.

See related article: H&M Drops Circularity-Driven Denim Collection

The US Open will take place Aug. 29 through Sept. 11. Although Rothy’s isn’t an official sponsor of the tournament, the company is planning a splashy launch event on Aug. 26 to showcase the collection on the rooftop of Rockefeller Center. Tennis players Emma Raducanu, Stan Wawrinka and Tommy Haas are expected to be in attendance, Herbst said.

Closely held Rothy’s had a valuation of $1 billion as of December after selling a 49.9% stake to Alpargatas SA, the Brazilian owner of flip-flop sandal maker Havaianas.

Rothy’s has a proprietary process for weaving thread made from recycled plastic bottles into washable footwear and accessories. It takes 11 to 19 bottles to make a shoe and up to 56 bottles to make a bag.

Source: Bloomberg