Nike is on a mission to become one of the world’s most sustainable brands, and it shows. What started out as a foray into the world of recyclable use and conscious creation has since become a full-fledged, industry-wide endeavor to become more optimal than before. The culmination of that process looks something strikingly similar to what you see here — a thoughtful benchmark for the footwear industry known as the “Space Hippie” sneaker.
As part of Nike’s exploratory process, the Space Hippie(s) arrive as a form of natural progression. With an emphasis on circular design, the shoes’ aesthetically-pleasing exteriors have been crafted entirely from “Space Junk” — scrap material from the company’s factory floors that would have normally been discarded and discredited after it had done its part. Space Waste Yarn, which has been created using recycled plastic water bottles, T-shirts, and yarn scraps, has been utilized to make up more than 90-percent of the Hippies’ upper, while a recycled ZOOMX liner comprises the sneakers’ comfortable footbed, resulting in half of the CO2e content of typical Nike foams. To round things out, a bespoke blend of standard Nike foam and 15-percent Nike Grind Rubber has been contracted for use within the shoes’ soles, creating unique textures and color pallets for each example. The result? A futuristic collection that’s been lauded as the most carbon-conscious Nike has ever made. Head to the company’s website to learn more about the process.
