Nike Designed 2020 Olympic Apparel and Footwear for Minimal Waste

(Photo: Nike’s 2020 medal ceremony collection for Team USA. Credit: Nike)

Nike presented new athletic apparel and footwear this week for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The collections for competition and medal ceremonies feature sustainable materials and were designed for minimal waste, the company said.

A medal ceremony collection for Team USA reimagines the company’s Windrunner jacket using 100% recycled polyester. Nike said that the Japanese kimono-inspired silhouette has panels knit to reduce waste. The pants are also made from entirely recycled polyester. The national team logo, elements like drawcord tips, and zipper pulls are made with recycled Nike Grind rubber. The Vapormax podium footwear uses 75% recycled manufacturing waste, and has a recycled polyester Flyknit upper.

“Athletes expect us to be committed in this space,” Noel Kinder, Nike’s chief sustainability officer, told CNBC. He added that athletes want what they wear to perform well and be sustainable, too.

The brand also introduced uniforms for USA basketball, track and field, and skateboarding kits for athletes representing Team USA, France, and Brazil. Skateboarding uniforms have 100% recycled polyester plus pattern efficiency that reduces waste, according to the company.

“As the growing climate crisis continues to disrupt competition and training, Nike’s sustainable innovations signal the brand’s commitment to helping protect the future of the planet — and, consequently, the future of sport,” the global brand said.

In addition to the Olympic collections, Nike is launching a Move to Zero collection aimed at consumers that incorporates recycled materials and fabrics that use fewer resources to produce, CNBC reported.