Nike set to release new Billie Eilish collaboration next week

Nike’s third collaboration with Oscar and Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter, Billie Eilish, is set to drop this coming Monday, April 25. The Nike Air Force 1 Billie pays tribute to Eilish’s love of the 1982 classic, reimagined in a more environmentally friendly version.

“The challenge and opportunity with this collection was to respect the originals, but make them my own,” she said in a statement. “It was also important for me to mix in environmentally preferred materials where we could and present them in a way that felt fresh.”

The entire mushroom-colored shoe, which will sell for 170 dollars, is made from 18 percent post-consumer recycled content. The midsole is composed of Nike Grind, formerly scraps and unused material, and the synthetic nubuck upper uses 80 percent recycled materials. The shoe's laces will be covered by chunky mid-foot straps, inspired by the Alpha Force Low and Air Trainer 3, giving the silhouette a distinctive and bold look.

The “Happier Than Ever” singer is an ardent environmentalist and has been a vegan since 2014, as she has shared in interviews. Eilish often uses her platform to call attention to climate change, offering plant-based concession stands minus the single-use plastic on her tour while working with a nonprofit called Reverb to compost wasted food, reduce carbon emissions from transportation and hotels, and offer merchandise made from upcycled materials among other efforts.

The Nike x Billie collaboration will also include clothing items designed to reflect Eilish’s oversized and comfortable style including a fleece hoodie and sweatpant, priced at 100 dollars a piece, made from a coordinating mushroom-colored, heavyweight cotton brushed-back fabric featuring a custom vertical Swoosh logo and Silicone “Billie Eilish” graphics.

The Nike Air Force 1 Billie and related apparel will be available on April 25 globally on the Nike SNKRS app, while dedicated fans may catch the release a day early on Eilish’s merchandise website.

More about Nike Grind

The Nike Grind program began as a grassroots initiative in 1992 to create a circular design system before that kind of language existed in the mainstream lexicon. Unused scaps and materials from the manufacturing process, including rubber, foam, fiber, leather, and textiles along with end-of-life footwear are collected, separated, and repurposed in order to divert them from landfills. Nike Grind materials have been incorporated into product design, retail spaces and workplace environments at Nike World Headquarters, according to the company. The process is a contribution towards Nike’s corporate efforts towards a zero carbon, zero waste future.

Nike Grind materials are incorporated into products sold outside of Nike’s product offering including furniture, carpet padding, gym flooring tiles, and weather-resistant surfaces featured on colorful basketball courts from Paris to Hong Kong.

The Dutch tech accessory brand, Decoded, was the first to create Apple device accessories using Nike Grind, including iPhone charging cases. Last year, the American home improvement retailer and a ten year partner of the Nike Grind program, Home Depot, recognized Nike’s commitment to innovation and circular design with the company’s 2021 Environmental Partner of the Year.