Nike’s Sustainability Efforts Shine In The Air Force 1 High Crater

In the lead up to its 40th anniversary, the Nike Air Force 1 High has emerged in handfuls of experimental styles. Away from collaborations with ALYX Studio, Bruce Kilgore’s iconic design has self-indulged in eye-catching updates. Case in point?: A “Crater”-variant dipped in brown, pink and grey.

While certainly not the first footwear option produced under the “Move to Zero” initiative that launched in 2019, the newly-surfaced pair delivers one of the most eye-catching partly-recycled propositions yet. The tall silhouette abandons its functional ankle strap for a clean look, but gains pull tabs at the top of the tongue and heel. Seemingly-random stitching is applied all-throughout the synthetic leather upper, which appears weatherized when compared to standard versions of the Air Force 1. A hiking boot-reminiscent set of laces and lacing system further update Kilgore’s 39-year-old design, but the most jarring detailing arrives towards and throughout the sole unit. A textured fabric creates mudguard around most of the sneaker’s forefoot, indulging in the star pattern typically found on the AF1’s tread. Midsoles go all-in on the recycled Nike Crater foam material that debuted on the Nike Space Hippie line. Lastly, outsoles are reworked for the fall and winter using Nike Grind, another tooling solution created from upcycled manufacturing floor scraps.

Enjoy official images of the pair here below, and anticipate a Nike.com release date soon.

Elsewhere under the Swoosh umbrella, the Air Max 1 celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2022.