Yahoo Finance Nike’s Tokyo Olympic apparel is made out of 60% recycled material
Nike (NKE) is gearing up for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo with a lineup of apparel that mixes technology and sustainability in an effort call attention to the need for climate action. And the Swoosh brand’s presence will be felt everywhere from the track to the court to the halfpipe — and even the medal stands.
Nike says the “Move to Zero” collection is a stepping stone to a zero-waste and zero-carbon future. Products in the line are made of at least 60% recycled and organic fabrics using new manufacturing methods meant to reduce waste.
“I think with the rest of the world, we’re watching the climate urgency rising,” John Hoke, Nike’s chief design officer, told Yahoo Finance. “It becomes incredibly important to us because we see the potential ill effects and disruptions of sport, both competition and training, preventing people from participating in sports.”
Hoke said the company is committed to creating more sustainable products — and not just for major sporting events. “We know as a good global citizens, and we are citizen designers, we have a bigger role to play. And so we’re taking that role seriously, and we’re not just doing it in a few products. We’re trying to have a wholesale shift in the way we think about designing, sourcing, manufacturing, and selling our products.”
Here’s a look at some of the new line’s looks.
Skateboarding uniforms
Skateboarding makes its debut as an Olympic sport this year, but unlike all of the other sports at the games, it does not have an official uniform. But that did not stop the swoosh brand from becoming the official uniform supplier for teams USA, France, Brazil, Nigeria, and Korea.
The 100% recycled polyester uniforms feature an upper that was inspired by basketball jerseys for Team USA, a soccer jersey for Brazil, and a tennis jersey for France. Artist and skater Piet Parra designed the clothing, which features abstract artwork.
Basketball uniforms
Nike will also supply the uniforms for the USA men’s and women’s basketball teams. All the uniforms will be made from 100% recycled polyester. The women’s uniforms feature the USA wordmark of the women’s team of 1996, when legendary players Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Dawn Staley went undefeated en route to a Gold medal during the games in Atlanta. The U.S. Women’s team will also have the distinct honor of being the only U.S. Olympic team to have a red uniform, to symbolize victory, Nike said.
On the medal stands
One would be hard pressed to find a more “Olympic” image than athletes draped in gold, silver, and bronze medals. U.S. medalists at the Tokyo Games will sport some of Nike’s lowest-impact footwear and apparel. The Nike Windrunner jacket is constructed with 100% recycled polyester; the Team USA pant follows suit with 100% recycled nylon and a 100% recycled polyester mesh lining. The Nike swoosh and the national team logos are stamped with recycled Nike Grind rubber, which uses recycled footwear and surplus manufacturing materials.
Reggie Wade is a writer for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter at @ReggieWade.
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