Nike debuts first sustainable basketball shoe

Nike has debuted the 'Cosmic Unity,' the athleticwear giant's first performance shoe made of at least 25% recycled content by weight.

The basketball shoe marks Nike’s first performance shoe under its 'Move to Zero' initiative, the company's sustainability plan that builds on Nike's previously announced efforts to use only renewable energy within all of its facilities by 2025, reduce its carbon emissions and become zero waste.

The shoe will be released in three colorways: 'Green Glow,' a glowing green and black; 'Amalgam,' a tri-color inspired by the view of earth from space; and 'the Space Hippie,' a combination of light blue and orange.

“We wanted to create a synergy between making the world better by what we do, but also leave an impact for athletes so that they can perform at a higher level," said Ross Klein, senior creative director for performance footwear at Nike.

"As athletes we worry about a lot of things — what we eat, how we train, when we sleep — but this is so much bigger than that," said A'ja Wilson, WNBA MVP and forward for the Las Vegas Aces. In addition to modeling the shoe in newly released photos from Nike, the athlete also contributed to the development of the Cosmic Unity shoe.

"We're wearing something that's minimizing the impact on our planet so we can keep playing basketball and help protect it for the future," Wilson continued,

The 'Green Glow' Cosmic Unity shoe will launch globally on February 26, the 'Amalgam' on March 7, and 'The Space Hippie' on March 12.

The latest sneaker's debut follows another big footwear release from Nike, the 'Go FlyEase,' the brand's first hands-free sneaker.

In late December, the company raised its full-year sales forecast, expecting higher revenue thanks to shoppers driving its third consecutive surge in online sales while buying outdoor sportswear amidst the pandemic.

Nike debuts first sustainable basketball shoe

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