Nike Space Hippie 02: A trashy sneaker worth buying

The Nike Space Hippie 02 Singapore release is slated for June 11. We managed to get our hands on the sneaker ahead of the official drop.

“This is trash”, reads the provocative description tagged to its latest shoe, the Nike Space Hippie. No, Nike isn’t going into self-destruction mode, but rather reconstruction mode to turn manufacturing waste from its factories into raw material for new sneakers.

The Nike Space Hippie collection is a creation from this line of sneakers. Comprising four models, 01, 02, 03 and 04, each one sports slight variations in design and construction.

All models stick to the same formula: Grey recycled Flyknit upper set on a scavenged ZoomX midsole. The only exception is the Space Hippie 04, which does not get the ZoomX drop-in insole and midsole its siblings receive.

What would sneakers made of trash feel like? We were lucky enough to get our hands on a pair of the Nike Space Hippie 02 early. Here’s our experience with the sneaker.

Guilt-Free Knit

Nike uses a mix of recycled plastics, t-shirts and yarn to create the textile used in the Flyknit upper. However, this Flyknit is much thicker and denser, though it remains as flexible and stretchy as the Flyknit material you would find on the Nike Epic React, for example. Some parts of the upper are also reinforced to better keep the feet in place.

ZoomX Spring

The shoe is fitted with a drop-in ZoomX insole and an encased ZoomX midsole. The ZoomX insole and midsole are constructed out of leftovers taken from the Vaporfly 4% production line. The ZoomX in the Space Hippie 02 feels springy, though a little stiffer than how the Vaporfly 4% feels on-feet.

Chunky Yet Comfy

A “Crater Foam” surrounds the ZoomX cushion which is made of a combination of recycled Nike foams and 15% Nike Grind rubber (a mixture of recycled surplus materials taken from the brand’s sneaker production lines). Some of the grinds can be seen on the surface within the Crater Foam, creating a colorful, speckled effect. The Crater Foam is a lot stiffer and helps to give the sneaker a chunkier appearance while providing the necessary grip. 

A sign of progress

The Space Hippie collection is a step in the right direction for Nike and demonstrates that the brand has the capability to build sneakers made wholly of scraps taken off factory floors and bins. Over time, we hope we hope to see Nike incorporate this zero-waste approach to more sneakers, and eventually, all sneakers.

The full Nike Space Hippie Collection drops on June 11 on the Nike SNKRS site. Prices range from S$209 to S$259. The Nike Space Hippie 02 reviewed retails for S$229.

Though they look unconventional, you would cop any of the Nike Space Hippie sneakers? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

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