“Nike Forward feels different because it is different. It is not a traditional knit or woven, but a completely new material that drastically reduces its carbon footprint,” said Nike Vice President of Innovation Apparel Design Carmen Zolman when the global athletic apparel brand announced the new product this week. According to Nike, creating Forward requires fewer steps than traditional Nike knits or woven fabric, which significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the first-generation Forward material — an average of 75% reduction compared to conventional knit fleece used by Nike.
Rather than knitting and weaving the materials used, the Forward process uses needle-punch to create the textiles. The process can be used to make a diverse range of layers, including industrial and post-consumer waste, and can be precisely tuned for athlete needs.
“We believe this platform has the potential to reset the way we think about material and apparel. This is the biggest Nike apparel innovation since Dri-Fit 30 years ago and has huge potential to transform the industry in the way Air and Flyknit did for Nike footwear,” said Aaron Heiser, VP Global Apparel Product Merchandising, NIKE, Inc.
Athletes worldwide have shared that climate change is a barrier to sports. Forward answers this call with sustainable materials and eco-friendly manufacturing processes. Nike has debuted the new Forward line with their iconic gray hoodie and crew styles, reimagined using the new material. The products will be released globally on September 15, 2022.
In other news on the sustainability front, see adidas and Finland’s Spinnova Partner to Create a Sustainable Hoodie.