Last week, Nike revealed its latest material called Forward, created through a new production process “by hacking punch-needle machines,” according to their press release.
The production process to manufacture Forward uses fewer steps, resulting in less energy consumption than making the brand’s traditional knits and wovens. Nike claims that this results in an approximate 75% lower carbon footprint than standard knit fleece.
“Nike Forward feels different because it is different,” said Carmen Zolman, vice president of innovation apparel design at Nike. “It is not a traditional knit or woven, but a completely new material that drastically reduces its carbon footprint.”
CEO John Donahoe said the Forward material in particular “has the potential to change the apparel industry.”
Nike’s first products to launch made of the material are a grey hoodie and crew neck that are comprised of 70% recycled content by weight, feature raw cut pockets, no zippers, and zero water usage or dyes to make them more suitable for recycling. The products will be available worldwide starting today.