How Nike’s Recycled Sneakers Transform into Vibrant Flooring with Hero Rubber

For over 30 years, Nike has been on a mission to prevent sneakers from becoming landfill waste. Through its Reuse-A-Shoe program, the brand has transformed old shoes and factory scraps into a material called Nike Grind. Originally utilized for basketball courts in Oregon, this innovation now covers over a billion square feet of sports surfaces globally. Recently, Mohawk Group has integrated Hero Flooring’s Nike Grind products into their offerings, introducing Hero Rubber—a new commercial flooring option made with recycled athletic shoe material.

Nike Grind Recycled Flooring: From Sneakers to Sustainable Gym Floors

Founded in 2014 by Reade Palmer, Hero Flooring was initially a small partner in the Nike ecosystem. It officially joined hands with Nike in 2020, culminating in the development of a unique rubber flooring collection. The collection includes three distinctive styles: Original, Vitality, and Axis. Each of these uses eco-friendly flooring, avoiding recycled tires, which often carry an unpleasant odor.

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The Original style features fine granules, creating a uniform speckle effect. Vitality combines various granule sizes for a terrazzo-like appearance, while Axis boldly showcases visible sneaker outsole pieces. All styles are available in 17 colorways, ensuring a versatile aesthetic. These products have earned accolades from the AZ Awards, HiP Awards, and Best of NeoCon, and are further distributed through Mohawk’s vast network.

The Recycling Process and Environmental Impact of Nike Grind Recycled Flooring

Nike’s drop bins are essential collecting points for old shoes that feed the sustainable floor covering process. Once collected, the sneakers are shredded, flattened, and transformed into gym flooring. This creates an ironic scene where people often perform workouts on the very shoes they once wore. It’s a full-circle sustainability narrative, bringing past and present together in a single step.

A Stylish Homage to Recycling

Each style of Hero Rubber is distinct. Original provides a subtle, speckled design that can suit sophisticated settings like office lobbies. Vitality’s mixed texture mimics genuine terrazzo, deftly blending aesthetics with environmental consciousness. Meanwhile, Axis makes a bold statement with noticeable shoe sole segments, an overt nod to its recycled origins. It’s a choice from understated to assertive recycling, offering options for different tastes and settings.

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Performance and Certifications of Nike Grind Recycled Flooring

The Axis flooring style is crafted for athletic performance, meeting ASTM F2772 standards with an impressive 87.3% energy restitution rating. This quality ensures that the material absorbs impact effectively. Moreover, all styles forgo crumb rubber, eliminating the residual odor associated with recycled tire flooring. They are certified with FloorScore and Declare Red List Free, emphasizing health and environmental safety. Despite its innovative design, the flooring’s pricing remains undisclosed, requiring inquiries for potential buyers.

A Bold Statement on Sustainability with Nike Grind Recycled Flooring

Hero Rubber proudly showcases its recycled roots, allowing shoe pieces to remain visible. This transparency in design communicates a strong message of sustainability, unlike other recycled flooring products that tend to mask their origins. By highlighting its recycled nature, Hero Rubber embodies an authentic sustainability narrative—one that doesn’t need a massive marketing campaign to make an impact through nike flooring.

Source: yankodesign.com

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