Nike Goes Mineral With The “Malachite” Air Max 90

A staple in the sneakerhead community, the Air Max 90 is one of those shoes that’ll seemingly never go out of style. To keep things fresh, Nike continues to roll out new takes on the classic silhouette, including this new “Malachite” colorway, which features a sharp green inspired by the copper-based mineral.

The name is quite fitting in the literal sense, as the malachite mineral has been used as a pigment in paints. The mineral was also used to create amulets and jewelry in ancient Greece, which is where the brand name ‘Nike’ originates. Turns out there’s quite a bit of depth to something as simple as the name of a color used on a popular sneaker, go figure.

The “Malachite” green hue can be found on the rubber material of the upper, the leather Nike swoosh, and the ridged encasing of the Air bubble. Building on the mineral theme are hits of a golden yellow in the form of the Air Max logo on the upper as well as the Nike logo at the top of the tongue. The nubuck upper is finished in a chalky gray which is contrasted by a black back stay and mudguard. The rest of the shoe, including the laces and back stay “Nike Air” logo, are a crisp white.

Those interested in copping a pair can find them at certain retailers below for $130, and we expect them to pop up in other retailers soon.