Nike has long been known to push the envelope, creating runners so fast they were at risk of being banned from professional use. And in service of their “Move to Zero” initiative, the Swoosh has continued to innovate with a number of sustainable product lines — Space Hippie and Next Nature, to name a few. This emphasis on recycled materials and sustainability extends to the brand’s every arm, including the ever-experimental Nike ISPA.
This Spring, the ISPA team has debuted two new silhouettes: the Link and Link Axis. The former is an entirely glue-less design made up of three interlocking modules; this allows the shoe to be taken apart and then recycled and donated. The Link Axis, which is set to release in early 2023, takes the sustainable intent of the Link and builds upon it. Its 100% recycled Flyknit is precisely engineered to fit over the outsole, and the tooling’s 100% recycled TPU is achieved by using scrap airbags. Moreover, the TPU cage, too, is made of reused material, albeit only 20% so as to balance the desire to use recycled content and the need for durability/traction.
As Nike puts it, the Link Axis is the “new pinnacle for disassembly,” ripping apart into four separate pieces. Embodying the circular design principles of material choice, waste avoidance, and refurbishment, the silhouette accelerates the brand’s move to a zero-carbon, zero-waste future.
The Nike ISPA Link Axis is currently slated to release in 2023, with more details to surface closer to the new year. For more details, head over to Nike News.
