Nike is introducing a new apparel line on 8th September 2022 with a sustainable and innovative material to fight the environmental crisis. Climate change can affect all facets of our lives, and our fitness is no exception. With fewer and fewer training environments available, it is important to try and re-evaluate our habits to preserve and protect our Earth. Nike believes the new Forward material will do for its apparel line what Flyknit did a decade ago for footwear. Moreover, they believe creating an all-new fabric material also offers a sustainably minded approach to the future of the product.
Nike Forward takes a revolutionary approach to apparel creation with a significantly smaller carbon footprint. This latest material could drastically reshape the way our favorite fitness apparel comes to life by utilizing punch-needle machines to make premium, sustainability-minded products. While the first Nike Forward pieces will comprise 70% recycled content by weight using the same recycled polyester featured throughout the brand’s offerings, Nike states the sourced materials could potentially include industrial and post-consumer waste in the future.
The fibers contained within Nike Forward are turned directly into a textile through an ultra-futuristic and reductive needle-punching process, similar to needle punches used in the automotive and medical spaces. This practice, which Nike took over five years to research and develop, helps reduce the amount of steps needed to achieve the end product. Fewer steps mean less energy consumption — Nike Forward’s carbon footprint shows an average 75% reduction compared to traditional knit fleece.
Nike Forward has a lighter density than traditional fleece, which also aids in shrinking the material’s environmental impact. The lightweight nature allows the Nike Forward collection to utilize multiple ultra-thin layers to achieve a variety of functions like warmth or softness. According to the brand, the inaugural collection will contain a Therma-FIT ADV layer for added warmth without unnecessary weight, just in time for those fall training circuits.
