As a runner's favorite, the Pegasus series has been helping runners keep running forward since its debut in 1983 with its superior cushioning and shock absorption technology. But did you know? The upper of the latest Nike Pegasus 41 is actually recycled from scraps from the Nike Pegasus 38.

Sustainability has always been our philosophy. Since 2019, we have been working with our suppliers to develop closed-loop recycling sustainability projects. Today, we are proud to announce that the footwear industry's first "pre-consumer*" textile chemical closed-loop recycling - the Nike Pegasus plan PEGASUS FOR PEGASUS has officially launched in China.

WHAT IS TEXTILE CLOSED-LOOP RECYCLING？

A running shoe is roughly composed of three parts: the upper, the midsole, and the outsole. The upper is mainly made of textile materials, and the textile scraps generated in the process of manufacturing the upper are usually disposed of by landfill or incineration. Now we recycle them and process them through a new chemical process to give them new life. The entire life cycle of recycling, production and reuse will effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions, alleviate environmental pollution, and use the recycled materials for the production of new textile materials with the same high quality and stability.

NIKE PEGASUS · Unveiling the Full Cycle 

How do we use our new chemical textile recycling technology to transform Nike Pegasus 38 into Nike Pegasus 41?

Step 1: Scrap Generation

Cutting the engineered mesh for the upper generates 30-40% scraps. For example, the annual production of Nike Pegasus 38 generates 78 tons of scrap waste.

Step 2: Scrap Collection

Collaborate with suppliers to classify and recycle scraps.

Step 3: Chemical Recycling
Nike Pegasus Through the latest chemical recycling method, the scraps generated from Nike Pegasus 38 are processed into the basic unit DMT (dimethyl terephthalate) of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and then made into polyester yarn. The 78 tons of mesh scraps generated by Nike Pegasus 38 can produce 60 tons of polyester yarn.
Step 4: Recycled Material Processing

The recycled polyester yarn is made into high-performance recycled engineered mesh.

Step5: New Product Production

All recycled materials will be returned to the factory for the production of the upper of Nike Pegasus 41. 60 tons of recycled engineered mesh made from recycled polyester yarn can produce 750,000 pairs of Nike Pegasus 41.

Through Pegasus for Pegasus, each year:

• 78t - 78 tons of waste materials recycled from Nike Pegasus 38  
• 60t - Produce 60 tons of recycled polyester yarn  
• 750k - The recycled polyester yarn produced can manufacture 750K pairs of Nike Pegasus 41
• 73c - The length of the produced recycled polyester yarn can circle the equator of the earth 73 times.  
• 208t - Reduce carbon emissions by 208 tons  
• 76% - Reduce water consumption by 76%  
• 60% - Reduce energy consumption by 60%  

(The currently used chemical recycling method vs raw materials refined from petroleum)

RUNNING FOR RUNNING

After five years of hard work, this sustainability journey that began in 2019 has set a new benchmark for the footwear industry. Since January 2024, we have expanded the Nike Pegasus plan to other running shoe products: Nike Pegasus 41, Nike Zegama Trail 2, Nike Pegasus Trail 5 and Nike Winflo 11, collecting scraps from 23 materials of these 4 shoe models for experiments.

We look forward to applying similar sustainability practices to the production of all Nike footwear products, reusing all textile waste, creating a comprehensive solution for the industry, protecting the environment and contributing to the health and well-being of athletes worldwide.

This article has both Chinese and English versions. If there is any inconsistency, the Chinese version shall prevail.

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