Nike Forward Initiative
Images: Nike
It’s hard to think about the word innovative without also thinking about Nike. 58 years in the game and the company is continuously pushing forward their efforts to do things differently from their competitors. Nike Forward is a new platform that will change the game for Nike apparel for the better. The new initiative has been in development for five years and will be joining the ranks of other Nike apparel technologies like DRI-Fit, Tech Fleece, and FlyKnit. Nike has stated that “the process to create Nike Forward requires fewer steps than traditional Nike knits or wovens which significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the first generation Forward material — an average of 75% reduction compared to traditional knit fleece used by Nike”.
Nike Forward will debut in a silhouette that’s dear to all of our hearts, the iconic grey hoodie. The hoodie will weigh less than one pound and is made of polyester and 70 percent recycled content. Nike was able to do this by turning fiber directly to textile through needle-punch instead of the multistage creation cycle. The hoodie will not include any zippers, aglets, or extra trims so that it will be easier for the garments to be recycled. Grey is also the only featured color (so far) because it nixes the process of using water to dye the garment. While being eco-friendly is not something that’s new to Nike, this is another great step to keep trekking in the right direction.
When can I buy Nike Forward apparel?
Along with the grey hoodie there will also be a grey crew neck sweatshirt available upon launch. Both the women’s and men’s crew neck will retail for $130 USD whereas the women’s hoodie will be available for $150 USD and the men’s hoodie will be $160 USD. Both items will release globally on September 15th.