Need to Know
21 : 04 : 22

Global – Aligning with the growing importance of personalised avatars, the sportswear brand is launching a personality-based artificial intelligence (AI)-generated avatar creation platform. Created for cross-game avatar platform Ready Player Me, the platform accompanies the launch of its Ozworld apparel collection.

To generate users' unique digital avatars, adidas will ask users a series of questions to assess their personal taste, recognising the need to empower users with digital tools that reflect their personal values. A statement from adidas explains: ‘Championing new possibilities to create, collaborate and belong, the Ozworld platform launch is the next bold step in adidas Originals’ ambition to create a truly open and optimistic metaverse for all.’

With this initiatve, adidas facilitates the creation of Affirmative Avatars, an idea that is especially pertinent at a time when consumers are looking to brands to create a Betterverse.

New York – Visual artist Stefan Sagmeister is harnessing data to design clothing that inspires radical optimism. Sagmeister123 is a clothing line composed of seven, gender-neutral garments that visualise positive global trends.

The Lightning Jacket, for example, is a water-resistant bomber with a graphic that illustrates the dramatic decrease of Americans killed by lightning from 1915 to 2020. While the Progress Shirt, which features 99 embroidered dots, depicts a decrease in childbirth mortality rates in the US from a century ago to today.

The artist’s long view of history also extends to his approach to craftsmanship, materials and construction. To ensure endurance, the collection is made with Italian Merino wool and Egyptian cotton that has been hand-gathered without chemicals or mechanical processes.

Although the 24-hour news cycle perpetuates and amplifies bad news, Sagmeister is harnessing data to show how things have improved. In a similar vein, we highlight ways in which joyscrolling can promote positivity during difficult circumstances.

The global air pollution crisis is escalating to new levels. According to research by the World Health Organization (WHO), 99% of the planet’s population breathes poor-quality air that is hazardous to their health.

The research reveals that low- and mid-income countries are subjected to the highest exposure of poor air quality, which contains dangerous levels of fine particulate matter like PM2.5, PM10 and nitrogen dioxide. Agriculture, transport, power plants, garbage burning and industry are all contributors of particulate matter.

Across the globe, poor air quality is causing millions of deaths and contributing to a pollution inequality crisis. ‘After surviving a pandemic, it is unacceptable to still have 7m preventable deaths and countless preventable lost years of good health due to air pollution,’ explains Dr Maria Neira, WHO director.

While the pandemic has demonstrated the efficacy of worldwide collaboration in combating health threats, it has also highlighted how global organisations are failing to address the intersection of sustainability, climate change and air pollution.