In the latest installment of Nike’s Move to Zero initiative, the company’s journey to zero carbon and zero waste, comes the Cosmic Unity in three special colorways. It represents Nike’s first performance shoe made of at least 25% recycled content by weight.
Holding a special place in Nike’s heart, basketball is the chosen host for their first sustainable performance shoe debut and apparel collection. The mission is simple enough: to make the athlete and the planet better. Because of the intense footwear demands of its players, basketball was the perfect place to start. Creating sustainable pieces presents challenges in regard to meshing design, construction, performance and impact on the planet. However, as seen with the early 2020 Space Hippie revelation, Nike views waste as a resource, “opening the aperture of materials that go into performance product, ultimately changing the perception of what’s possible.”
The Nike Cosmic Unity comes boldly in “Green Glow,” “Amalgam” and “Space Hippie” colorways. The shoes are packed with features, carefully mapped and calculated to perfection, that simultaneously push greatness for athletes and the planet. Recycled cable yarn in the upper reduces waste through the direct fiber placement and mimics cosmic frequencies, providing dynamic forefoot support in its web network construction.
The full-length Zoom Air Strobel replaces any binding material and provides efficient energy return and responsiveness under foot. The Crater Foam midsole, made of proprietary foams and about 10 percent Grind Rubber, is more firm for better support. To reduce the shoe’s overall weight, the midsole comes cushioned with factory floor foam scraps. Recycled materials also contribute to the makeup of the sockliner, laces and even the Swoosh. Nike has converted more than 7.5 billion plastic bottles since 2010 into recycled polyester, a common material in their eco-friendly pieces.
Alongside the shoe, the Cosmic Unity collection will feature the Revival 8P basketball, jackets, pants, shorts and tees made of at least 95 percent organic and recycled materials. Drawstring tips and zipper hardware are comprised of Nike Grind, which consists of “scrap, unsellable products and worn-out sneakers that would otherwise have entered the waste stream.” In conjunction with the Cosmic Unity’s design, it takes on 90’s off-court colorblocked fashion as a “nod to Space Hippie’s raw and exposed vibes.”
As for the future of Nike’s sustainability initiatives, they will continue to roll out in hopes of reducing the brand’s carbon footprint. Athletes are also excited for the Cosmic Unity, seen sported on the court by Anthony Davis and gushed by A’ja Wilson. “As athletes we worry about a lot of things – what we eat, how we train, when we sleep – but this is so much bigger than that, we’re wearing something that’s minimizing the impact in our planet so we can keep playing basketball, that’s different,” says Wilson.
The Nike Cosmic Unity “Green Glow,” “Amalgam” and “Space Hippie” will release via Nike.com on February 26th, March 7th and March 12th, respectively. Check out the colorways below and stay tuned to Modern Notoriety for more info.
Nike Cosmic Unity “Green Glow”
Style Code: DA6725-001
Release Date: February 26, 2021
Price: $150 USD
Nike Cosmic Unity “Amalgam”
Release Date: March 7, 2021
Price: $150 USD
Nike Cosmic Unity “Space Hippie”
Release Date: March 12, 2021
Price: $150 USD
