The Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next Nature - taking Nikes most elite performing shoe, and recreating it to help build towards Nikes journey of zero carbon footprint and zero waste. Creative ideas, processes and materials need to be selected in order to make a sustainable running shoe, yet maintain the elite performance properties. But a more sustainable shoe does not necessarily mean a cheaper shoe, with the Next Nature coming in at £294.95. What we consider to be ‘fast-fashion’, may feel better on your bank balance at the time, tends to have larger consequence for for it to be so cheap. So why is the Next Nature more expensive?

The processes behind sustainable products are more complex that those for fast-fashion, with more stages involved. We believe Nike is a company that will not cut corners, so sourcing the reusable materials that will actually last, and to be made in a factory that run on ethical processes are factors that add to the cost of this shoe. The choosing of the materials is very important because they account for more than 70% of the products footprint. Take the Nike ZoomX midsole, which was made with at least 70% recycled materials by weight. The process of sourcing this and compiling it in a way to meet the design and performance requirements would not be a cheap process. With this shoe being a more limited release, this can have an effect on the cost per unit, alongside the more expensive sustainable processes. 

A company as large as NIKE has a large role to play in tackling the global climate crisis - by making changes and creating connections that trigger a wider positive ripple effect. I can imagine Nike want to reduce the cost of their sustainable goods in the long term, and hopefully with more awareness and demand this can happen. 

Nike plan to focus on low-carbon materials: Reducing 0.5 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions by increasing their use of environmentally preferred materials to 50% of all key materials.They’re accelerating research and development around sustainable materials, and exploring opportunities to bring low-carbon alternatives to market at scale.

This shoe is a big step forward for Nike, and thanks to SportsShoes I’ve been lucky enough to be able to try out the shoe. There are a few differences when it comes to performance when compared to the original Alphafly. The midsole does feel slightly different due to the glue and the compression of the recycled ZoomX foam. By no means does it feel slow, but a more firmer ride. There is also a weight difference, with the Next nature coming in at 56g heavier (UK 9), which hasn’t hindered my runs, but you may notice this over the longer distance. When it comes to the upper, the combination of the Flyprint and Flyknit is a big success. Flyknit is in the toe of the shoe, which allows it to feel more flexible and breathable. The Flyprint, gos through the midfoot, which helped contain my foot a lot more within the shoe, giving more support.