Specialty Fabrics Review November 2021 - 12

[ BRIEFS ] swatches
Newlight and Nike partner in
carbon-negative technology
N
AirCarbon Pellets and AirCarbon Leather,
shown here, are already being used in the
fabrication of wallets, bags and phone
sleeves. Newlight Technologies and Nike are
partnering to help further scale the sustainable
technology. Photo: Newlight Technologies Inc.
ewlight Technologies Inc., Huntington Beach, Calif., is partnering with Nike
to explore the use of AirCarbon, a carbon-negative biomaterial produced
by microorganisms from the ocean. AirCarbon is currently used in fashion
applications as a carbon-negative substitute for leather and plastic in products
including eyewear, wallets and bags. Nike will explore the use of AirCarbon in a
variety of applications, with the goal of advancing the company's mission to create
products that are better for athletes and the planet.
" Materials account for 70 percent of Nike's total carbon footprint, and we're
accelerating our efforts and exploring new opportunities in this space, " said NIKE
Inc. chief sustainability officer Noel Kinder in a press release from Newlight.
Newlight uses naturally occurring microorganisms from the ocean that eat air
and greenhouse gas and convert it inside of their cells into AirCarbon, an energy
storage material, also known as polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), that is approximately
40 percent oxygen from air and 60 percent carbon from greenhouse gas by weight.
AirCarbon is certified carbon negative by SCS Global Services, resulting in a net
reduction in CO2e in the atmosphere through production, and can be melted into a
range of forms, from fiber and sheet to solid shapes.
" Our mission is change at scale, and there are few better partners in the world
than Nike to help achieve that, " said Newlight CEO Mark Herrema.
Adidas skips the dye with new collection
W
ith the introduction of its new no-dye collection, footwear brand adidas is betting
that at least some of its fans are more concerned with the environment than
the color of their shoes.
The upper on the shoes in the new golf collection is made entirely with the material's
natural colorway. The no-dye technology works with a material's natural color to cut
out a water-intense step in the manufacturing process: the pre-treatment phase of
conventional dye techniques.
The selection is featured in the company's adicross ZX PRIMEBLUE and new ZG21
Motion footwear for both men and women. The naturally colored fabric still requires a posttreatment
step to achieve the same performance qualities for these lines, yet achieves an
average of 60 percent savings on water and energy, according to the company.
" We're continually evaluating ways to reduce our environmental impact when it comes
to our products, " says Masun Denison, global director of footwear, adidas golf. " With this
collection, we're giving golfers another reason beyond just style and performance to feel
good about the shoes they're wearing. "
The absence of dye in the footwear gives golfers a distinct look and style as they head
to the course. But beyond the look, all models within the collection further the company's
mission to help end plastic waste. The textile upper on the adicross ZX PRIMEBLUE is made
with yarn containing a minimum of 50 percent Parley Ocean Plastic®
redesigned to be made in part with recycled materials.
. The ZG21 has been
12 SPECIALTY FABRICS REVIEW / November 2021
Adidas' new golf shoe collection cuts out
the pre-treatment phase of conventional
dye techniques, saving water and energy
in the process. Photo: adidas.

Specialty Fabrics Review November 2021

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