For 50 years, Nike has created shoes and fitness apparel that make you feel better: fitter, faster, stronger. With their latest innovation, the company hopes to better the world. Today, you can buy the first pieces made from the brand’s new material called Forward. Unlike traditional fabrics—which come to life via a multistage process that involves spinning yarn, knitting, cutting, sewing, and more—Forward is made using needle-punch machines. Nike adapted this tech from the automotive and medical industries over five years, using it to turn multiple thin layers of fiber into textile. Reducing the manufacturing steps cuts down on energy usage, resulting in a carbon footprint that’s 75 percent smaller than that of a traditional Nike knit fleece. The first Nike Forward silhouettes are a classic grey hoodie and crew neck. Both highlight Nike’s commitment to sustainability: They’re made without dyes, which generates zero water waste; free of embellishments like zippers, aglets (those metal and plastic tubes on the end of shoelaces), or extra trims that make apparel harder to recycle.
