NIKE, Inc. has been innovating in greener chemistry for more than 15 years. A commitment to design sustainability into products from the outset has been a hallmark of Nike’s approach.
• 1995 – Nike began phasing out petroleum-derived solvents in its footwear.
• 1997 – Nike began phase-out of the global warming SF6 gas, previously used in Air-Sole cushioning.
• 2002 – Nike developed a formula for environmentally preferred rubber then shared the formula with the industry.
• 2006 – Nike pioneered a materials sustainability index to enable designers to make better materials choices. In 2011 it shared this tool with the industry through the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC).
• 2011 – Nike committed to a goal of eliminating the discharge of hazardous chemicals in its supply chain by 2020.
• 2012 – Nike invested in DyeCoo Textile Systems B.V., a Dutch company that invented a revolutionary process to dye materials without water and subsequently reducing chemical discharge.
• Nike works with the contract factories that produce its products to develop water quality and energy efficiency programs and voluntarily reports against its targets to reduce environmental impact across four key areas: water, chemistry, waste and energy.