Michael Le Over the course of the past few years, Nike has made large strides in their “Move To Zero” initiative — creating sustainably-made products lines like “Next Nature” and “Space Hippie,” all the while researching new methods of production. And for their latest move, the Swoosh is directing their attention to packaging, forgoing the double box to further reduce waste.
“Packaging is sometimes an afterthought,” says Rich Hastings, the man responsible for Nike’s custom shoebox designs. “But what people may not realize is that it can have a huge impact on the environment.”
Nike cites Space Hippie as the “jumping off point,” as the shoe featured the earlier implementation of shipping a shoe within its own container. Following the collection’s release, which was said to much more popular than anticipated, the brand received a wealth of feedback in regards to the box, with which they’ve used to create the One Box.
While different aesthetically from prior iterations, the One Box is the culmination of the team’s rigorous testing. Compared to Nike’s traditional packaging, the innovation offers 51% reduction in waste for single online orders. What’s more, One Box features the following: a stealthy exterior, so as to avoid theft in transit; tape-free returns thanks to the top lid’s second adhesive strip; and no-smudge graphics, keeping the product itself pristine.
While it’s able to house any shoe in the Nike catalog, One Box will not be a comprehensive replacement for existing shoeboxes… yet, at least. “There’s an opportunity for One Box to evolve over time,” said Erica Swanson of sustainable product operations. It’s likely the packaging will be used for future offerings flagged with the circular design logo.
If you’d like to learn more about the One Box, head over to Nike.com.
