Since its founding, Nike has strived to make highly innovative products by incorporating new technology to provide every athlete with footwear and apparel to help them succeed in whatever their athletic goals may be. As we have covered here on numerous occasions they are often trend setters when in comes to innovate sportswear and in 2016 they are making a concerted effort to focus even more on innovation.
Get The Latest Sports Tech News In Your Inbox!
One of the first big reveals from Nike in 2016 is their first ever self-lacing shoe, the HyperAdapt 1.0, which will be made available later this year. The CEO of Nike, Mark Parker, sees their new power-lacing technology as a big part of the their footwear future down the line. “Yes, adaptive lacing in this case start off small…then you’re going to see it move into other categories…it will become more ubiquitous…as we move forward.”
Nike is set to launch a large number of brand new innovations this summer. Nike sponsored teams and athletes competing in the Rio Olympics, UEFA Euro’s 2016, and Copa America will showcase these new products. Fans will also be able to get theirs hands on a majority of these products this summer as well, and many will do so on a brand new platform.
The new uniforms and jerseys that will be worn by Nike sponsored teams and athletes this summer will feature new technology and materials to keep athletes dry, while also making them lighter and more aerodynamic. New FlyVent technology provides athletes with the perfect amount of tightness on their waistbands. The brand new Nike Vapor jerseys help wick away sweat 20% faster while drying 25% quicker than the previous models. AeroSwift technology has been added to make the uniforms 10% lighter and 50% more stretchable. While their AeroBlades tech is used to reduce air and wind drag on the athlete.
The greatest soccer players in the world will be competing throughout the summer in some of the most famous tournaments. Therefore Nike will be debuting new cleats summer. Their Anti-Clog Traction technology has been in development for the last two years and is now ready to provide soccer players footwear that does not clog up with mud and grass.
This technology was designed in large part by Dr. Jeremy Walker and it uses adaptive polymer to help prevent mud from sticking. “We stopped thinking about repelling water and started thinking about using it to our advantage…Understanding the molecular structure of mud was key…which helps keep mud from clogging the plate.” Their new Anti-Clog Traction technology will be used in select models of cleats starting in April to help eliminated a large amount of grass and mud from building up on the bottom of cleats, allowing players to maintain peak speed and traction.
Another innovation that is coming this summer is the Nike + App. When it debuts in June 2016, this app will become a one-stop shop for everything Nike and will aim to personalize a user’s shopping experience. Nike + will learn a users’ sizes, from shoes to pants, while offering exclusive deals, (HyperAdapt 1.0 will be sold only on Nike +) as well as free shipping and returns.
The app will also bring all current Nike Apps such at their running and SNKRS app into one place. Parker views the app as a unique piece of technology in Nike’s push towards personalization. “This is all abut personalized service…we can actually personalize your work outs to help you achieve your goal… The more you interact with Nike + … the better recommendations we make.”
Nike has been on the forefront of technology for years and it has helped them establish a dominance in the sportswear market, especially over the last decade as they have separated from the pack, greatly out pacing their nearest rival, Adidas in market share. Nike has secured over 4,000 patents since they started, including 650 since 2012, while Adidas has secured 275 overall and 30 since 2012. This is not to say that every tech-based endeavor has been a success, as the discontinued Nike Fuel Bands demonstrates.
Nike’s Flyknit technology has been incorporated into almost every product Nike makes, and the lightweight fabric is stitched together using advanced computer technology that helps them reduce manufacturing waste; roughly 2 million pounds saved since 2012. They make a lot of their polyester from recycled plastic bottles, reducing energy consumption by 30% while repurposing millions of bottles that were headed to landfills. ColorDry, uses recycled CO2 to dye their fabrics, so they no longer have to use water and unneeded chemicals in this process. Nike has also helped to build roughly 600 million square feet of sports surfaces, from tracks to turf, in their Grind program, repurposing over 28 millions pairs of recycled Nike shoes.
Since their first waffle bottomed running shoe (designed to grip the ground better), to their new self-lacing sneaker, Nike provides athletes with some of most innovative sportswear. If 2016’s slew of new innovations and their history is any indication as to what the future might hold the sky is the limit and their dominance as a brand is likely to continue.