Nike Space Hippie

In 2018, Nike began forming its Space Hippie Collection. This was the sportswear giant's range of eco-friendly sneakers made entirely of factory floor scraps from the production of the Zoom Vaporfly 4%. In a bid to implement more sustainable practices in its supply chain and offset climate change, Nike constructed the Space Hippie from recycled fabrics as part of its 2019 Move to Zero initiative.

Its aim was to drastically reduce waste and consider the environmental impact of their production lines when creating new sneakers. Boasting Nike’s lowest carbon footprint score yet, the name and ethos for the division comes from space missions, where resources are limited and ingenuity is key. The Hippie section of its moniker stems from the non-conformist aesthetic, where bulky midsoles and rough-cut features are a regular part of the division's design language.

The Space Hippie uppers are constructed from Nike's Space Waste Yarn, while the sole unit is crafted from recycled Zoomx Foam and Crater Foam. It uses 15% Nike Grind rubber combined with the foam for a lightweight feel and speckled look. Setting a new bar for sustainable innovation and responsible design, the unique texture of the Space Hippie is down to a special Flyknit variation made from 85% rPoly, which comes from plastic water bottles and discarded yarn scraps.

The Nike Space Hippie sneakers promise to deliver on its zero waste commitment by making more responsible material choices, with the shoes already having the least carbon footprint of all the Nike trainers.

The first Space Hippies collection dropped in the summer of 2020, containing four shoes titled 01-04 that landed on the SNKRS app. The most noticeable aspect surrounding the capsule was the overall bulky aesthetic, blue tinted midsoles and orange accents, which split opinions among members of the footwear community. However, this type of design was not completely alien as we had seen elements echoed within previous Tom Sachs collaborations, like on the Nike Mars Yard Overshoe from 2019.

It wouldn’t be till a slew of Space Hippie 04 colourways dropped at select retailers in 2021, that the silhouette would become more accepted by a mainstream audience. The SH04 silhouette in particular provided an alternative to the sleek runner, with its thick midsole and streamline Flyknit upper becoming a go-to for those who had previously worn the Air Max 270 or 720. The Swoosh cooled down its Space Hippie Division releases in 2022, as a number of silhouettes ended up hitting the sale rack.

The creation of Nike Grind Rubber has since been implemented across different silhouettes such as the Air Force 1 Grind Rubber and Dunk Low Grind. Of course, the Space Hippie Division has a long future ahead, with more inventive breakthroughs delivering a range of sustainable footwear that can keep setting new standards for the industry.