With Move to Zero as a core philosophy and driving force, Nike is continuing to push forward with a new generation of Earth-friendlier footwear.

The concept, setting a trajectory of lessened impact on the road to eliminating emissions from its operations altogether, is becoming less and less a guiding principle and more a part of the brand’s process: something more tangible that can be seen, felt and touched in the material reality of its shoes.

In short, Nike has come to see Move to Zero not as an independent ideal, but as an intrinsic part of what the company does – inseparable from each and every product.

Alongside those more sustainable credentials though, a brand like the Swoosh – with a focus so strongly and so historically trained on sporting excellence, focusing on the wants and needs of exceptional athletes – still has to prioritize high performance technology.

The challenge, as always, is the question of how to create an even balance between the two. But Nike, it seems, is ready with the answer: the newly-announced InfinityRN 4 running shoe.

A high-end piece of performance footwear, the InfinityRN 4 exceeds the capabilities of its predecessors and the majority of its peers on both fronts – with a 43% reduction in carbon footprint and an array of high-end performance elements set to challenge the status quo.

At the heart of the InfinityRN 4’s game-changing construction is a new material for Nike. A first-of-its-kind kind foam, called ReactX, which delivers high-powered energy return with a low-impact construction in terms of process and final product.

Describing the innovation, the Nike design team is ready to throw its weight behind this latest innovation: “ReactX foam is our answer to the need for sustainability in high-performance materials. It’s not just about reducing carbon footprint; it’s about providing athletes and casual runners with increases in energy return along the way.”

Using injection mold technology as a key part of the process, lower-carbon material is crafted into the new silhouette via a lower-impact process – without sacrificing key, high-impact results for runners. The ReactX foam acts as the base for a stretchy Flyknit upper and a wider midsole, creating a “rocker” design system of support for cushioning and for balance.

Showcased in new creative by fvv.agency, the InfinityRN 4 is not only designed with sustainability in mind, but also with women runners at the fore – as Nike puts it: “The design was driven by extensive research with women runners who demanded a better fit, enhanced performance and more sustainable engineering.”

All of which, in the end, adds up to something rare: a shoe as forward thinking in process as it is in purpose – as progressive in philosophy as it is in performance.

Priced at $160 USD, the InfinityRN 4 is currently available to Nike Members with a wider release coming soon.