Leading the sustainability-minded footwear is the Nike’s Air Max franchise. According to Nike, if Nike Air was its own athletic company, it would be the third-largest in the world based on revenue. Because of its size and stature, Nike said Nike Air technology and the Air Max line will be significant players in its sustainability push. Nike will deliver for spring ’22 reimagined Air Max classics that use more synthetic leather and recycled polyester. The Air Max 90, the Air Max 95 and the Air Max 97 will come with uppers that are made with at least 25% recycled synthetic leather and 100% recycled polyester, and the Air Max 2021, the Air Max Dawn and the Air Max Motif will have at least 20% recycled content by weight. Nike also executed a trio of classics in its catalog — the Waffle, the Blazer and the Dunk — with a combination of recycled polyester, recycled synthetic leather and Nike Grind rubber. The range will include the Waffle One Crater Next Nature, the Blazer Mid ’77 Next Nature and the Dunk Low Next Nature, which are made with at least 20% recycled content by weight. The brand will also debut the Nike Sun Club Pack in the summer, a fun and playful line of looks made with recycled textile uppers, recycled synthetic suede and recycled laces. Nike said in a statement that each Sun Club shoe is made with at least 20% recycled content by weight. The silhouettes in the range include the Air Max Pre-Day, the Blazer Low ’77 NN, the Air Force 1 LV8 NN and the Court Vision Lo NN.
The brand’s spring ’22 Sportswear Capsule collection features manufacturing waste that has been transformed into new canvas, fleece and rain jacket materials, such as the Windrunner jacket, which Nike said is made with at least 75% recycled TPU. What’s more, Nike explained that each piece in the range is made with at least 50% recycled and/or organic materials. The woven track jacket, for example, is made with 100% sustainable materials including a blend of recycled nylon and organic cotton fibers. Its design-meets-sports innovation Tech Pack, which Nike said was designed for versatility and engineered for comfort, is made with at least 50% recycled and/or organic content such as recycled polyester, recycled nylon and organic cotton fibers. Some of the highlights are the women’s parka, which is made with at least 75% recycled polyester, as well as the insulated vest that features Thermore EcoDown Marble insulation made with 100% recycled polyester fibers.
Lastly, the Nike Pro apparel, according to the brand, is exemplary of how it is working to achieve its 2025 targets by scaling lower-impact materials in high-volume products. Nike said since spring ’21, all women’s Nike Pro shorts and tights, which accounts for 7 million units a year, have been made with at least 50% recycled polyester, and most Nike Pro options are now made with at least 50% recycled polyester. Source