Athletic shoes collected through Let Me Play’s Reuse-A-Shoe program are transported to one of our two processing facilities, ground up, and separated into three useful materials.
This material – called Nike Grind – has three kinds:
• Rubber from the outsole
• Foam from the midsole
• Fabric from the upper.
In order to turn the three types of Nike Grind into playground and sport surfaces we partner with industry-leading surfacing companies to incorporate it into their products. Together, we’re working toward a common goal: To create the highest-quality sports surfaces available using the most innovative methods and advanced recycling technology.
Creating Nike Grind from old athletic shoes is part of Nike’s Considered design ethos. The idea is to design waste out at the beginning stages so that it is not created when we manufacture our products. Nike’s long-term goal is to create zero waste in the manufacturing of our product.
WHERE THE GRIND GOES
So how many of your old athletic shoes are used to create a basketball court, running track or playground?
In creating sport surfaces, we seek to incorporate an average of 10% to 20% Nike Grind by weight. The following list shows approximately how many pairs of recycled athletic shoes generally go into making each surface:
• Outdoor basketball court: 2,500 pairs
• Outdoor tennis court:2,500 pairs
• Full Field or soccer pitch: 50,000 - 75,000 pairs*
• Mini soccer field: 10,000-20,000 pairs
• Running track: 75,000 pairs*
• Playground: 2,500 pairs
• Indoor basketball court: 2,500 pairs
• Indoor synthetic basketball court: 2,500 pairs
* In the case of full-size fields and tracks, which use mostly Nike Grind from made from footwear manufacturing scrap material, the average use is equivalent to the rubber from about 50,000-75,000 pairs of shoes.
We continue to explore new uses for Nike Grind. Teams within Nike are working to find innovative ways to incorporate Nike Grind into our products.
MORE ON NIKE GRIND AND CONSIDERED
After years of extensive research and development by Nike engineers, we’ve found uses for Nike Grind and other recyled material in other areas of our business including footwear and ACG creation – all as a part of the Considered Design ethos. Take a look.
Nike ACG
Nike ACG has taken a proactive approach to integrating Nike’s Considered design philosophy into its product design. ACG has created apparel that features trims made with Nike Grind material. To formulate Nike Grind for product use, ACG worked with Nike’s in-house manufacturing team. After extensive research and testing, ACG was able to develop a range of apparel trims and accessories – including zipper pulls, snaps and buttons – using 50-100% Nike Grind material.
Learn more and see the product by visiting www.nikeacg.com.
Nike Footwear
The Nike footwear team has developed more than 50 closed-loop materials as part of an effort to collect waste in the manufacturing of Nike brand footwear, recycle it at one of five waste management centers serving 85% of Nike contracted footwear factories in Asia, and return the recycled material back to materials vendors to be re-introduced into new material for Nike product. We have worked with seven material vendors to create these closed-loop materials, including heel counters, toe boxes, strobels and lining. In addition, outsole scrap is ground up and reused in the manufacturing of new Nike outsoles.
Nike Retail Stores, Distribution Centers and Offices
In the U.S., most Nike Stores use Nike Grind matting in their footwear aisles. The use of specialized Nike Grind tiles is increasing in Nike Stores throughout Europe as well. Nike Grind sports surfaces are also used throughout our headquarters and distribution facilities worldwide.
