Next month, Nike drops the futuristic silhouette, Nike ISPA Link, featuring three interlocking modules connected without glue that can be taken apart and dropped off at Nike stores offering a recycling and donation service.
The midsole comprises pegs that fit into openings engineered into the upper for a fit that is comfortable, stable and breathes, according to 40 athletes who logged more than 200 hours when wearing the prototype.
The shoe is revolutionary for its simplicity in manufacturing. Due to Nike’s custom-made manufacturing jig, a pair takes about eight minutes to assemble, a fraction of the average time to manufacture a traditional sneaker. The shoe’s construction also eliminates the time-intensive gluing process to construct the midsole. And the assembly is performed without conventional energy-intensive processes, including cooling, heating and a conveyer belt system.
Photos courtesy Nike