Nike is launching a new plant-based footwear range with Ananas Anam, the firm behind the pineapple vegan leather Pinatex. The animal-free pineapple-based fabric will replace the usage of animal leather, along with other sustainable materials such as cork, in some of Nike’s most iconic designs over the years, including its Air Force and Air Max sneakers.
On Thursday, June 17, Nike will debut its fresh new Happy Pineapple sneaker collection, which includes reimagined classic sneaker styles created with Pinatex, a plant-based leather alternative developed by Ananas Anam. Pinatex is a more sustainable alternative to traditional vegan leather alternatives derived from plastic, such as PU and PVC, and was created by Dr. Carmen Hijosa. It resembles leather thanks to cellulose fibres extracted from pineapple leaves, and it is a more sustainable alternative to traditional vegan leather alternatives derived from plastic, such as PU and PVC.
Pinatex uses significantly fewer resources to manufacture than traditional hides since it is animal-free, whereas rearing animals for skin uses a lot of feed, land, and water, and releases a lot of CO2.
Nike’s Happy Pineapple Collection
Five Nike sneaker models are included in the Happy Pineapple collection, each of which is available in many colorways. The Free Run Trail Premium will be accessible in the United States and Europe, as well as the Air Force 1, Air Max 90, Air Max 95, and Air Zoom Type, which will be available in Asia.
Commenting on the launch, Dr. Christian Kurtzke, non-executive chairman of the board at Ananas Anam, wrote in a social media post: “Wonderful to see this finally being released…with one model in the Western World, and five more all over Asia.”
“Proving once again that Pinatex is the plant-based performance material available today for commercial collections,” Kurtzke added.
Nike has also decided to incorporate other sustainable materials such as natural cork into the Happy Pineapple range, as part of the brand’s campaign to “Move to Zero” and tap into the fast-growing eco-friendly sneaker trend.
Vegan leather alternatives are becoming more popular among brands, and the market is expected to grow to $89 billion by 2025.
To keep up with consumer demand, Nike previously unveiled animal-free leather versions of their SB Dunks and a recycled plastic Space Hippie line, while rival brands Adidas and Reebok have each produced their own plant-based and sustainable designs.
Now, a wide range of Jordan-related items, including T-shirts, are available to sneakerheads. Visit the websites listed below if you’re seeking for these matching T-shirts.
