Nike inches toward recycling goal

BEAVERTON, Ore.—Nike recycled 689 metric tons, or 0.9 percent, of the 78,896 tons of rubber used by the company's manufacturing operations in 2021, the sportswear and related products brand has estimated.

The recycling rate represents a slight improvement on the 564 tons, or 0.7 percent, of the 76,141 tons of rubber consumed in 2020, Nike's FY21 Impact Report shows.

The latest figures, however, are well short of the footwear business' 2025 goal of 10 percent recycled rubber. The company is also aiming to significantly reduce the amount of rubber used in its shoes.

"We aim to move to high-recycled percentage formulations that maintain material benefits while lowering environmental impact," Nike stated in its 2021 environmental impact report.

Noting that recycled rubber can degrade performance and durability, Nike is working with rubber compound suppliers "to unlock high-performing recycled rubber options that meet our design and durability expectations."

Nike said it wants to reduce rubber usage "through additive design and manufacturing while also exploring other materials and methods to replicate the performance of rubber at a lower impact."