Footwear
Feb 22, 2022
by James Roberts
Spring Has Sprung With This New Nike Air Max Pack
by James Roberts
Feb 22, 2022

Nike is continuing its journey towards a zero carbon and zero waste future with the brand’s latest Air Max offering. Released over the last few weeks, the Air Sprung collection features some of its most iconic silhouettes including the Air Max 90, Air Max 95 SE and Air Max 97 SE.

The collection forms part of Nike’s Move to Zero campaign. This includes initiatives that only change the way Nike products are made but also encourage and help customers recycle shoes later down the line.

This new collection of Air Max kicks all use recycled materials from post-consumer and/or post-manufactured waste. The 95s and 97s are both made from at least 20% recycled materials. Getting the materials right is important. Nike states that the materials it uses “account for more than 70% of any product’s footprint.” So, by using recycled materials at every step possible, the brand can significantly reduce its impact on the planet.

There’s little detail on the specifics of the materials used on Nike’s website, which is unfortunately typical of the brand. The 95s use reclaimed canvas on the side panels, and each shoe also uses a mixture of leathers, plastics and rubber as you’d usually find. We would be interested to know more about where these are sourced from, especially the leather — it would be great to know if that is made from completely recycled materials instead of relying on the use of new animal products.

The designers at Nike have taken spring and new beginnings as their inspiration for this pack. Each shoe comes in two colorways: one with whites, beiges and pops of purple with names like coconut milk, sesame and phantom; and the other with grays and yellow called iron gray and celery.

The whole look is playful and fun. That mood is made even stronger by the addition of embroidered details on the heel tab and tongue. Cheery mushrooms, butterflies and caterpillars bring a new Earth-friendly vibe to the iconic sneakers. And where you might usually find the Air Max logo on the tongue, the 95s and 97s have replaced it with an “Air Sprung” logo.

Whereas some designers might have seen the challenge of using more sustainable materials as a hindrance, Nike has found a great opportunity. In fact, it seems to be inspired by it. Spring is coming, and Nike doesn’t seem afraid of the new beginnings it brings.

Some of the collection has been out for a little while now but there are still sizes available at various retailers, including Nike.com, depending on your region.