Nike’s move towards sustainable solutions will see a substantial leap forward when the highly anticipated Nike Air VaporMax 2020 Flyknit makes its way to Australia next month. The new release is touted as being one of the brand’s most sustainable shoes to date, with at least 50 per cent recycled content by weight.
Representing a meaningful evolution of the VaporMax, and doubling down on the definitive circular design and ethos of Nike Space Hippie, the new release will highlight and celebrate a sustainable-first approach to footwear.
Fashioned as an all-day, everyday shoe, it’ll raise the brand’s bar for balancing sustainability and innovation and supreme comfort, playing into the entire reason VaporMax came about in 2018, which was to provide the lightest and most responsive cushioning to date.
“We wanted to look at not only Nike’s waste stream, but other industrial waste streams and how we could leverage that content,” offered Nike product design lead Jesi Small. “We let that drive a lot of the decision-making.”
With a unique aesthetic, the shoe has been built with a lower profile than previous VaporMax iterations, with about 67 per cent post-industrial recycled content by weight as well as different recycled components like plastic bottle waste.
The molded dual-density Ortholite sockliner is made from about 50 per cent recycled content and amplifies underfoot comfort, while the tongue features at least 80 per cent recycled foam. The eye-catching swirled effect on the heel clip and toe tip contains about 60 per cent recycled TPU as well, leading down to the outsole which incorporates 4 per cent Nike Grind material.
Nike FlyEase technology is featured so you get a one-handed lock mechanism that instantly secures the foot, making the shoes seamless to take on and off as you go about your day.
“We wanted to make a sustainably-sourced silhouette from the ground up, and one that is quick and easy to put on and wear daily,” said Small. “That’s why we also innovated around ease of entry, exit and lockdown to design a smarter and better-designed shoe for all athletes.”
Australians can expect the Nike Air VaporMax 2020 Flyknit to be released in August for a RRP of A$290 available from nike.com.
