Nike Introduces the New Flyleather Technology

Nike Aims to Change the Game with Flyleather Technology

Posted September 20, 2017

In the past, Nike already introduced an array of groundbreaking technology that has shaped the sneaker world as we know it today – with Flyknit just being one of the most important ones. But while the lightweight material surely is beloved by many and was used in several fan favorite shoes, some heads probably couldn’t get chummy with the future-oriented look. After all, smooth leather is a big part of what made a lot of the classic 90s silhouettes as popular as they still are today. And if you’re one of those dedicated leather aficionados, you will love Nike’s latest innovation.

»The greatest advance in leather, since leather.«

Flyleather is the latest material novelty to come out of the Nike headquarters and it finally combines a sophisticated premium look with sustainability state-of-the-art technology. Usually, up to 30 percent of cowhide processed during a regular leather manufacturing procedure is discarded. The Swoosh brand makes new use of this discarded leather scrap and turns it into leather fibers. Together with synthetic fibers, the recycled material is hydro processed and fused into one new material and put on a roll. Flyleather allows for a drastic reduction of a shoes carbon footprint, recuding it by up to 50 percent compared to a traditional leather sneaker. On top of that, the material is produced on a roll and thus generates less waste – another important step in meeting challenges like climate change and pollution.

But Flyleather isn’t just 40 percent lighter than traditional leather, it’s also five times stronger! With this new level of durability, the material has the potential to reinvent the use of leather across all performance shoe categories. Adding proof to this claim, Nike introduced an all-white Flyleather version of the Tennis Classic on September 18. Complementing this release are limited editions of the Air Force 1, Air Max 90, Cortez, Jordan 1 and Tennis Classic SE – all made in Oregon and presented at Climate Change Week NYC
These handcrafted Nike Flyleather Energy Icons are limited to 50 pairs for each style and you can win a pair by heading over to Nike from now until September 30, 2017.

We’re already excited for the future of this new material – see for yourself how Nike implemented Flyweather into some of their classic models below and catch up with the latest on the Air Max 1 OG restock.