Nike Turns Scraps Into Shoes With Their Upcoming “Space Hippie” Collection

Sustainability has always been of utmost importance for Nike, arguably more so these days after the institution publicly promised to minimize their ecological footprint as per their “Move To Zero” initiative. Inclusive of plant-based dyes and recycled materials, the selection of earth conscious goods has grown at a gradual pace these past few years — almost a handful of picks every season — but as we hit Spring of this year, the label is poised to release one of their most ambitious series yet: the “Space Hippie” collection.

Naming aside, the range is a serious roster of green offerings, each painfully aware of its finer details and their detriment to the environment. Scraps are reused, production byproducts no longer go to waste, and even the packaging comes together to further decrease their carbon print — a trackable score which, incidentally, is currently the lowest in the brand’s footwear category. In terms of material, the four total selections come equipped with a newly developed Flyknit yarn, one that borrows the fibers of plastic bottles to an 85% usage. Moreover, crater foam creates an interesting speckling along the sole unit with its vibrant notes a result of its entirely salvaged architecture.

Starting in numerical order, the 01 crafts close to the likeness of the Epic React, using its general shape to create a neutral baseline with accents of bright orange and wild multicolor playing with more energy just atop. Its sole, which can be found on a few others out of the pack, takes on a complementing blue shade mixed in with bits of distinct fragments embedded within. The 02, in departure, opts for a different structural inspiration with its mid-top cut; threads that make up the swoosh sew in and out of the knit base in the same color as the aforementioned, crossing above an arrangement of dark patches, gridded patterns, and a mix of weave variations. Finally, the 03 rounds off the selection of men’s offerings with enhanced utility. Heightened with a tapered collar and substantial fastening system, the pair is the only one to outfit with FastFit tech, but still the most compelling is undoubtedly awarded to the women’s flagship, the 04, whose robust bottom matches well with the relatively slim profile just overhead.

Grab a detailed look at the entire set piece just below, and expect the 01, 02, and 03 to arrive this Spring at Nike.com; the 04 will follow shortly after during the Summer.

UPDATE (06/06/2020):
The Nike Space Hippie line launches on June 11th in Europe, and on July 3rd on Nike SNKRS.

UPDATE (05/28/2020):
The Nike Space Hippie line launches on June 11th.