Nike’s latest kicks, the Atsuma, are here to put an end to material waste once and for all. A massive amount of waste is produced while cutting patterns for sneakers. Offcuts are the leftover materials that are thrown out once a pattern has been cut, and so in an attempt to increase pattern efficiency, Nike utilized offcuts to bring Atsuma to life.
Designer: Nike
Named after a little town in Hokkaido, Japan, the sneaker features a range of vibrant colors such as orange, blue, teal, black and tan. The offcuts have been used in the lateral and medial panels in the shoes creating an inversed look. The heel counter, as well as the eyestay display an interesting usage of the negative space provided by the offcuts.
The blue hangtag has ben formed using a cutout on the outsole.
The iconic Swoosh flashes across one side of the sneaker in teal and is mirrored by a cutout version in black on the other side. Add a recycled sock liner to the mix, and this shoe couldn’t get any more sustainable.
An assortment of colors and a retro-inspired vibe add to the sheer charm of the Atsuma. Using materials in their entirety for different sides of the shoe, and employing negative space, creates an interesting mirror image, and adds to a reversed aesthetic. Releasing on January 1st, Nike’s Atsuma is tangible evidence of how traditional cut-and-sew footwear can be reimagined to completely cut down on waste. Being eco-friendly does not mean you have to reinvent the wheel, sometimes the solution lies in using everything you have!
