Nike has a new type of leather that it says has the potential to be just as game-changing in the world of footwear as its Flyknit technology. The brand debuted what it calls Flyleather—which is more sustainable, five times stronger, and 40 percent lighter than traditional leather—on Monday morning.
The brand uses a hydro process that combines recycled leather and synthetic fibers to create Flyleather, which it says is comparable to the real thing.
"Nike Flyleather completely mimics athletic, pigmented full-grain leathers in everything from fit to touch," Tony Bignell, Nike VP of Footwear Innovation, told Nike News. "Unlike with traditional leathers, Flyleather can be produced with a consistent grade across a broader range of product."
A press release on the material suggests that the introduction of Flyleather might lead to a resurgence of leather-like materials in performance product from Nike.
The first shoe to use Flyleather will be the Tennis Classic pictured above that releases on Sept. 18 on nike.com and at the Nike SoHo store, NikeLab 21 Mercer, and Dover Street Market in New York City. Nike will also make Air Jordan 1s, Air Max 90s, Air Force 1s, and Cortezes using the material available via this contest. These made-in-Oregon pairs will also be on display during Climate Week NYC 2017 in New York.
